Book 3

The third vision which I saw, brethren, was as follows:

I had fasted for a long time, and prayed the Lord to explain to me the revelation which he had promised to show me through that ancient lady; and in the same night the ancient lady appeared to me and said to me: Since you are so importunate and zealous to know everything, come into the country, where you are farming, and at the fifth hour I will appear to you, and show you what you must see.

I asked her, saying, Lady, to what part of the field? Where you like, she said. I chose a beautiful secluded spot; but before I spoke to her and mentioned the place she said to me, I will be there, where you wish.

I went, therefore, brethren, to the country, and I counted the hours, and I came to the spot where I had arranged for her to come, and I saw a couch of ivory placed there, and on the couch there lay a linen pillow, and over it a covering of fine linen was spread out.

When I saw these things lying there, and no one in the place I was greatly amazed, and, as it were, trembling seized me and my hair stood on end. And, as it were, panic came to me because I was alone. When therefore I came to myself, and remembered the glory of God and took courage, I knelt down and confessed my sins again to the Lord, as I had also done before.

And she came with six young men, whom I had also seen on the former occasion, and stood by me, and listened to me praying and confessing my sins to the Lord. And she touched me and said: Hermas! stop asking all these questions about your sins, ask also concerning righteousness, that you may take presently some part of it to your family.

And she raised me up by the hand and took me to the couch and said to the young men: Go and build.

And after the young men had gone away and we were alone, she said to me: Sit here. I said to her: Lady, let the elders sit first. She said: Do what I tell you, and sit down.

Yet when I wished to sit on the right hand she would not let me, but signed to me with her hand to sit on the left. When therefore I thought about this, and was grieved because she did not let me sit on the right hand, she said to me: Are you sorry, Hermas? The seat on the right is for others, who have already been found well-pleasing to God and have suffered for the Name. But you fall far short of sitting with them. But remain in your simplicity as you are doing, and you shall sit with them, and so shall all who do their deeds and bear what they also bore.

What, I said, did they bear? Listen, she said: Stripes, imprisonments, great afflictions, crucifixions, wild beasts, for the sake of the Name. Therefore is it given to them to be on the right hand of the Holiness, and to everyone who shall suffer for the Name; but for the rest there is the left side. But both, whether they sit on the right or the left, have the same gifts, and the same promises, only the former sit on the right and have somewhat of glory.

And you are desirous of sitting on the right hand with them, but your failings are many. But you shall be cleansed from your failings, and all who are not double-minded shall be cleansed from all sins, up to this day.

When she had said this she wished to go away, but I fell at her feet and besought her by the Lord, to show me the vision which she had promised.

And she again took me by the hand and lifted me up, and made me sit on the couch on the left and she herself sat on the right. And she lifted up a certain glittering rod, and she said to me: Do you see a great thing? I said to her: Lady, I see nothing. She said to me: Behold, do you not see before you a great tower being built on the water with shining square stones?

Now the tower was being built four-square by the six young men who had come with her; but tens of thousands of other men were bringing stones, some from the deep sea, and some from the land, and were giving them to the six young men, and these kept taking them and building.

The stones which had been dragged from the deep sea, they placed without exception as they were into the building, for they had all been shaped and fitted into the joins with the other stones. And they so fastened one to the other that their joins could not be seen. But the building of the tower appeared as if it had been built of a single stone.

Of the other stones, which were being brought from the dry ground, they cast some away, and some they put into the building and others they broke up and cast far from the tower.

And many other stones were lying round the tower, and they did not use them for the building, for some of them were rotten, and others had cracks, and others were too short, and others were white and round and did not fit into the building.

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 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 things may know the Lord in great glory.

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.

The tower which you see being built is myself, the Church, who have appeared to you both now and formerly. Ask, therefore, what you will about the tower, and I will reveal it to you, that you may rejoice with the saints.

I said to her: Lady, since you have once thought me worthy to reveal everything to me, proceed with the revelation. And she said to me: What is permitted to be revealed to you shall be revealed; only let your heart be turned towards God and do not be double-minded as to what you see.

I asked her: Why has the tower been built on the water. Lady? As I told you before, you are seeking diligently, said she, and so by seeking you are finding out the truth. Hear, then, why the tower has been built upon the water: because your life was saved and shall be saved through water, and the tower has been founded by the utterance of the almighty and glorious Name, and is maintained bv the unseen power of the Master.

I answered and said to her: Lady, great and wonderful is this thing. But, Lady, who are the six young men who are building? These are the holy angels of God, who were first created, to whom the Lord delivered all his creation to make it increase, and to build it up, and to rule the whole creation. Through them, therefore, the building of the tower shall be completed.

But who are the others, who are bringing the stones? They also are holy angels of God, but these six are greater than they. Therefore the building of the tower shall be completed, and all shall rejoice together around the tower, and shall glorify God because the building of the tower has been completed.

I asked her saying: Lady, I would like to know the end of the stones, and what kind of force they have. She answered me and said: It is not because you are more worthy than all others that a revelation should be made to you, for there were others before you and better than you, to whom these visions ought to have been revealed. But in order that the name of God might be glorified, they have been, and shall be, revealed to you because of the double-minded who dispute in their heart whether these things are so or not. Tell them, that all these things are true, and that there is nothing beyond the truth, but that all things are strong and certain and well-founded.

Listen then concerning the stones which go into the building. The stones which are square and white and which fit into their joins are the Apostles and bishops and teachers and deacons who walked according to the majesty of God, and served the elect of God in holiness and reverence as bishops and teachers and deacons; some of them are fallen asleep and some are still alive. And they always agreed among themselves, and had peace among themselves, and listened to one another; for which cause their joins fit in the building of the tower.

But who are they who have been brought out of the deep sea, and added on to the building, and agree in their joins with the other stones which have already been built? These are they who have suffered for the name of the Lord.

But I should like to know. Lady, who are the other stones which are being brought from the dry land? She said: Those which go into the building without being hewed are they whom the Lord approved because they walked in the uprightness of the Lord and preserved his commandments.

But who are they who are being brought and placed in the building? They are young in the faith and faithful; but they are being exhorted by the angels to good deeds, because wickedness has been found in them.

But who are they whom they were rejecting and throwing away? These are they who have sinned and wish to repent; for this reason they have not been cast far away from the tower, because they will be valuable for the building if they repent. Those, then, who are going to repent, if they do so, will be strong in the faith if they repent now, while the tower is being built; but if the building be finished, they no longer have a place, but will be cast away. But they have only this,—that they lie beside the tower.

Do you wish to know who are those which are being broken up and cast far from the tower? These are the sons of wickedness; and their faith was hypocrisy, and no wickedness departed from them. For this cause they had no salvation, for because of their wickedness they are not useful for the building. Therefore they were broken up and cast far away, because of the anger of the Lord, for they had provoked his anger.

But the others of whom you saw many left lying and not going into the building, of these those which are rotten are they who have known the truth, but are not remaining in it.

And who are they which have the cracks? These are they who bear malice in their hearts against one another, and are not at peace among themselves, but maintain the appearance of peace, yet when they depart from one another their wickednesses remain in their hearts. These are the cracks which the stones have.

And those which are too short are they which have believed, and they live for the greater part in righteousness, but have some measure of wickedness. Therefore they are short and not perfect.

But who. Lady, are the white and round ones which do not fit into the building? She answered and said to me, How long will you be stupid and foolish, and ask everything and understand nothing? These are they which have faith, but have also the riches of this world. When persecution comes, because of their wealth and because of business they deny their Lord.

And I answered and said to her, Lady, but then when will they be useful for the building? When, she said, their wealth, which leads their souls astray, shall be cut off from them, then they will be useful to God. For just as the round stone cannot become square, unless something be cut off and taken away from it, so too they who have riches in this world cannot be useful to the Lord unless their wealth be cut away from them.

Understand it first from your own case; when you were rich, you were useless, but now you are useful and helpful for the Life. Be useful to God, for you yourself are taken from the same stones.

But as for the other stones which you saw being cast far from the tower, and falling on to the road, and rolling from the road on to the rough ground; these are they who have believed, but because of their double-mindedness leave their true road. They think that it is possible to find a better road, and err and wander miserably in the rough ground.

And they who are falling into the fire and are being burnt, these are they who finally apostatise from the living God, and it no longer enters into their hearts to repent because of their licentious lusts, and the crimes which they have committed.

But do you wish to know who are the others which are falling near the water and cannot be rolled into the water? These are they who have heard the Word, and wish to be baptised in the name of the Lord. Then, when the purity of the Truth comes into their recollection they repent and go again after their evil lusts.

So she ended the explanation of the tower.

I was still unabashed and asked her whether really all these stones which have been cast away, and do not fit into the building of the tower,—whether repentance is open to them, and they have a place in this tower. Repentance, she said, they have, but they cannot fit into this tower.

But they will fit into another place much less honourable, and even this only after they have been tormented and fulfilled the days of their sins, and for this reason they will be removed, because they shared in the righteous Word. And then it shall befall them to be removed from their torments, because of the wickedness of the deeds which they committed. But if it come not into their hearts they have no salvation, because of the hardness of their hearts.

When, therefore, I ceased asking her all these things, she said to me: Would you like to see something else? I was anxious to see it, and rejoiced greatly at the prospect.

She looked at me and smiled and said to me: Do you see seven women round the tower? Yes, I said; I see them. This tower is being supported by them according to the commandment of the Lord.

Hear now their qualities. The first of them who is clasping her hands is called Faith. Through her the chosen of God are saved.

The second, who is girded and looks like a man, is called Continence; she is the daughter of Faith. Whosoever then shall follow her becomes blessed in his life, because he will abstain from all evil deeds, believing that if he refrains from every evil lust he will inherit eternal life.

But who are the others. Lady? They are daughters one of the other, and their names are Simplicity, Knowledge, Innocence, Reverence, and Love. When therefore you perform all the deeds of their mother, you can live.

I would like, Lady, said I, to know what are their several powers. Listen, she said, to the powers which they have.

Their powers are supported one by the other, and they follow one another according to their birth. From Faith is born Continence, from Continence Simplicity, from Simplicity Innocence, from Innocence Reverence, from Reverence Knowledge, from Knowledge Love. Their works therefore are pure and reverent and godly.

Whosoever then serves them, and has the strength to lay hold of their works, shall have his dwelling in the tower with the saints of God.

And I began to ask her about the times, if the end were yet. But she cried out with a loud voice saying, Foolish man, do you not see the tower still being built? Whenever therefore the building of the tower has been finished, the end comes. But it will quickly be built up; ask me nothing more. This reminder and the renewal of your spirits is sufficient for you and for the saints.

But the revelation was not for you alone, but for you to explain it to them all, after three days, for you must understand it first. But I charge you first, Hermas, with these words, which I am going to say to you, to speak them all into the ears of the saints, that they may hear them and do them and be cleansed from their wickedness, and you with them.

Listen to me, children; I brought you up in great simplicity and innocence and reverence by the | mercy of God, who instilled righteousness into you that you should be justified and sanctified from all wickedness and all crookedness. But you do not wish to cease from your wickedness.

Now, therefore, listen to me and be at peace among yourselves, and regard one another and help one another, and do not take a superabundant share of the creatures of God for yourselves, but give also a part to those who lack.

For some are contracting illness in the flesh by too much eating, and are injuring their flesh, and the flesh of the others who have nothing to eat is being injured by their not having sufficient food and their body is being destroyed.

So this lack of sharing is harmful to you who are rich, and do not share with the poor.

Consider the judgment which is coming. Let therefore they who have over-abundance seek out those who are hungry, so long as the tower is not yet finished; for when the tower has been finished you will wish to do good, and will have no opportunity.

See to it then, you who rejoice in your wealth, that the destitute may not groan, and their groans go up to the Lord, and you with your goods be shut outside the door of the tower.

Therefore I speak now to the leaders of the Church and to those who take the chief seats. Be not like the sorcerers, for sorcerers carry their charms in boxes, but you carry your charms and poison in your hearts.

You are hardened, and will not cleanse your hearts, and mix your wisdom together in a pure heart that you may find mercy by the great King.

See to it, therefore, children, that these disagreements do not rob you of your life.

How will you correct the chosen of the Lord if you yourselves suffer no correction? Correct therefore one another and be at peace among yourselves, that I also may stand joyfully before the Father, and give an account of you all to the Lord.

When therefore she ceased speaking with me, the six young men who were building came and took her away to the tower, and four others took up the couch and bore it away also to the tower. I did not see their faces because they were turned away.

But as she was going I asked her to give me a revelation concerning the three forms in which she had appeared to me. She answered me and said, Concerning these things you must ask some one else to reveal them to you.

Now she had appeared to me, brethren, in the first vision in the former year as very old and sitting on a chair.

But in the second vision her face was younger, but her body and hair were old and she spoke with me standing; but she was more joyful than the first time.

But in the third vision she was quite young and exceeding beautiful and only her hair was old; and she was quite joyful, and sat on a couch.

I was very unhappy about this, and wished to understand this revelation, and in a vision of the night I saw the ancient lady saying to me, Every request needs humility: fast therefore and you shall receive what you ask from the Lord.

So I fasted one day and in the same night a young man appeared to me and said to me, Why do you ask constantly for revelations in your prayer? Take care lest by your many requests you injure your flesh.

These revelations are sufficient for you. Can you see mightier revelations than you have seen?

I answered and said to him, Sir, I only ask you that there may be a complete revelation concerning the three forms of the ancient lady. He answered and said to me, How long are you foolish? You are made foolish by your double-mindedness and because your heart is not turned to the Lord.

I answered and said again to him, But from you, sir, we shall know them more accurately.

Listen, he said, concerning the forms which you are asking about.

Why did she appear to you in the first vision as old and seated on a chair? Because your spirit is old and already fading away, and has no power through your weakness and double-mindedness.

For just as old people, who have no longer any hope of becoming young again, look for nothing except their last sleep, so also you, who have been weakened by the occupations of this life, have given yourself up to worry, and have not cast your cares upon the Lord. But your mind was broken, and you grew old in your sorrows.

Why, then, I should like to know, did she sit in a chair, sir? Because every sick person sits in a chair because of his sickness, that the weakness of the body may find support. Here you have the type of the first vision.

But in the second vision you saw her standing, and with a more youthful and more cheerful countenance than the former time, but with the body and hair of old age. Listen, he said, also to this parable.

When anyone is old, he already despairs of himself by reason of his weakness and poverty, and expects nothing except the last day of his life. Then an inheritance was suddenly left him, and he heard it, and rose up and was very glad and put on his strength; and he no longer lies down but stands up, and his spirit which was already destroyed by his former deeds is renewed, and he no longer sits still, but takes courage. So also did you, when you heard the revelation, which the Lord revealed to you, that he had mercy upon you, and renewed your spirit; and you put aside your weakness, and strength came to you, and you were made mighty in faith, and the Lord saw that you had been made strong and he rejoiced. And for this reason he showed you the building of the tower, and he will show you other things if you remain at peace among yourselves, with all your heart.

But in the third vision you saw her young and beautiful and joyful and her appearance was beautiful.

For just as if some good news come to one who is in grief, he straightway forgets his former sorrow, and thinks of nothing but the news which he has heard, and for the future is strengthened to do good, and his spirit is renewed because of the joy which he has received; so you also have received the renewal of your spirits by seeing these good things.

And in that you saw her sitting on a couch, the position is secure, for a couch has four feet and stands securely, for even the world is controlled by four elements.

They, therefore, who have repented shall completely recover their youth and be well founded, because they have repented with all their heart. You have the revelation completed; no longer ask anything about the revelation, but if anything be needed it shall be revealed to you.