Shepherd of Hermas 5

First Testament

Second Testament

Shepherd of Hermas

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Kirsopp Lake ▾

1While I was going to Cumae, at about the same time as the year before, as I walked along I remembered the vision of the previous year, and the spirit again seized me and took me away to the same place, where I had been the previous year. 2So when I came to the place, I knelt down and began to pray to the Lord and ‘to glorify his name,’ because he had thought me worthy, and had made known to me my former sins. 3But after I rose from prayer I saw before me the ancient lady, whom I had seen the year before, walking and reading out from a little book. And she said to me: “Can you take this message to God’s elect ones?” I said to her: “Lady, I cannot remember so much; but give me the little book to copy.” “Take it,” she said, “and give it me back.” 4I took it and went away to a certain place in the country, and copied it all, letter by letter, for I could not distinguish the syllables. So when I had finished the letters of the little book it was suddenly taken out of my hand; but I did not see by whom.^a

Footnotes

a4 distinguish the syllables. — Hermas no doubt means that it was written, like most early MSS., in a continuous script with no divisions between the words.