1. The third vision, which I saw, brethren, was as follows. After fasting often, and entreating the Lord to declare to me the revelation which He promised to show me by the mouth of the aged woman, that very night I saw the aged woman, and she said to me, "Seeing that you are so importunate and eager to know all things, come into the country where you abide, and about the fifth hour I will appear, and will show you what you ought to see."

I asked her, "Lady, to what part of the country?"

"Where you will," she said.

I selected a beautiful and retired spot; but before I spoke to her and named the spot, she said to me, "I will come, where you will."

I went then, brethren, into the country, and I counted up the hours, and came to the place where we had made our appointment, and I saw an ivory couch placed there, and there on the couch lay a linen cushion, and on the cushion was spread a coverlet of fine linen of flax.

When I saw these things so ordered, and no one in the place, I was amazed, and a fit of trembling seized me, and my hair stood on end; and a fit of shuddering came on me, because I was alone. When then I recovered myself, and remembered the glory of God, and took courage, I knelt down and confessed my sins to the Lord once more, as I had done on the former occasion.

Then she came with six young men, the same whom I had seen before, and she stood by me, and listened attentively to me as I prayed and confessed my sins to the Lord. And she touched me, and said:

"Hermas, make an end of constantly entreating for your sins; entreat also for righteousness, so that you may take some part to your family."

Then she raised me by the hand, and led me to the couch, and said to the young men, "Go, and build."

And after the young men had retired and we were left alone, she said to me, "Sit down here."

I said to her, "Lady, let the elders sit down first."

"Do as I bid you," she said, "sit down."

When then I wanted to sit down on the right side, she would not allow me, but beckoned with her hand that I should sit on the left side.

I was musing on this, and was sad because she would not permit me to sit on the right side.

She said to me, "Are you sad, Hermas? The place on the right side is for others, namely those who have already been well-pleasing to God, and have suffered for the Name's sake. But you still lack what it takes to sit with them. But continue to abide in your simplicity as you have done, and you will sit with them; that goes for you, and as many as will have done the deeds of those on the right, and have suffered what they have suffered."

2. "What did they suffer?" I asked.

"Listen," she answered. "Stripes, imprisonments, great tribulations, crosses, wild beasts, all for the Name's sake. Therefore to them belongs the right side of the Holiness -- to them, and to all who shall suffer for the Name. But for the rest is the left side.

"Howbeit, to both -- to those that sit on the right, and on the left -- are the same gifts and the same promises; only those who sit on the right have a certain glory. You indeed are very desirous to sit on the right with them, but your shortcomings are many; yet you will be purified from your shortcomings; yes, and all who are not double-minded shall be purified from all their sins to this day."

Then she again took me by the hand, and raised me, and seated me on the couch at the left hand, while she herself sat on the right.

And lifting up a certain glistening rod, she said to me, "Do you see a great thing?"

I said to her, "Lady, I see nothing."

She said to me, "Look; don't you see in front of you a great tower being built on the waters, of glistening square stones?"

Now the tower was being built foursquare by the six men that came with her. And countless other men were bringing stones, some of them from the deep, and others from the land, and were handing them to the six young men. They took them and built.

The stones that were dragged from the deep they placed in every case, just as they were, into the building, because they had been shaped, and they fit in their joining with the other stones; and they adhered so closely one with another that their joining could not possibly be detected; and the building of the tower appeared as if it were built of one stone. But of the other stones which were brought from the dry land, some they threw away, and some they put into the building; and others they broke in pieces, and threw to a distance from the tower. Now many other stones were lying round the tower, and they did not use them for the building; for some of them were mildewed, and others had cracks in them, and others were too short, and others were white and round, and did not fit into the building. I saw other stones thrown to a distance from the tower, and coming to the way, and yet not staying in the way, but rolling to where there was no way; and others falling into the fire and burning there; and others falling near the waters, and yet not able to roll into the water, although they desired to roll and to come to the water.

3. Then she said, "Listen to the parables of the tower; for I will reveal all things to you.

"The tower, which you see building, is myself, the Church, whom you've seen both now and the times before. Ask, therefore, what you will concerning the tower, and I will reveal it to you, so that you may rejoice with the saints."

I asked her, "Why is the tower built on waters, lady?"

"It is because your life is saved and shall be saved by water. But the tower has been founded by the word of the Almighty and Glorious Name, and is strengthened by the unseen power of the Master."

4. I asked her, "But the six young men who are building, who are they, lady?"

"These are the holy angels of God, that were created first of all, to whom the Lord delivered all His creation to increase and to build it, and to be masters of all creation. By their hands therefore the building of the tower will be accomplished."

"And who are the others who are bringing the stones?"

"They also are holy angels of God; but these six are superior to them. The building of the tower, then, shall be accomplished, and all alike shall rejoice in the (completed) circle of the tower, and shall glorify God because the building of the tower was accomplished."

I asked her, "Lady, I would like to know concerning the end of the stones, and their power, of what kind it is."

5. She answered and said to me, "The stones that are squared and white, and that fit together in their joints, these are the apostles and bishops and teachers and deacons, who walked after the holiness of God, and exercise their office of bishop and teacher and deacon in purity and sanctity for the elect of God, some of them have already fallen asleep, and others still living. Because they always agreed with one another, they both had peace among themselves and listened to one another. Therefore their joinings fit together in the building of the tower."

"But the ones that are dragged from the deep, and placed in the building, and fit together in their joinings with the other stones that are already built in, who are they?"

"These are those who suffered for the name of the Lord."

"But the other stones that are brought from the dry land, I would like to know who these are, lady."

She said, "Those that go to the building, and yet are not hewn, these the Lord has approved because they walked in the uprightness of the Lord, and rightly performed His commandments."

"But those that are brought and placed in the building, who are they?"

"They are young in the faith, and faithful; but they are warned by the angels to do good, because wickedness was found in them."

"But those whom they rejected and threw away, who are they?"

"These have sinned, and desire to repent, therefore they were not cast to a great distance from the tower, because they will be useful for the building, if they repent. Those that desire to repent, if they repent, will be strong in the faith, that is if they repent now while the tower is building. But if the building is finished, they no longer have any place, but shall be castaways. This is the only privilege they have, that they lie near the tower.

6. "But would you know about the ones that are broken in pieces, and cast away far from the tower? These are the sons of lawlessness. They received the faith in hypocrisy, and no wickedness was absent from them. Therefore they don't have salvation, for they are not useful because of their wickedness. Therefore they were broken up and thrown far away because of the wrath of the Lord, for they excited Him to wrath. But the rest whom you have seen lying in great numbers, not going to the building; of these: the ones that are mildewed are those who knew the truth, but did not abide in it, nor cleave to the saints. Therefore they are useless."

"But those that have the cracks, who are they?"

"These are the ones that have discord in their hearts against one another, and are not at peace among themselves; who have an appearance of peace, but when they depart from one another, their wickedness abides in their hearts. These are the cracks which the stones have. But those that are broken off short, these have believed, and have their greater part in righteousness, but have some parts of lawlessness; therefore they are too short, and are not perfect."

"But the white and round stones, which did not fit into the building, who are they, lady?"

She answered, "These are the ones who have faith, but also have riches in this world. When tribulation comes, they deny their Lord because of their riches and their business affairs."

And I answered and said to her, "When then, lady, will they be useful for the building?"

"When," she replied, "their wealth, which leads their souls astray, is cut away, then they will be useful for God. For just as the round stone, unless it is cut away, and loses some portion of itself, cannot become square, so also those who are rich in this world, unless their riches are cut away, cannot become useful to the Lord. Learn first from yourself. When you had riches, you were useless; but now you are useful and profitable to life. Be useful to God, for you, yourself, also are taken from the same stones.

7. "But the other stones which you saw cast far away from the tower and falling into the way and rolling out of the way into the regions where there is no way, these are the ones that have believed, but because of their double heart they've abandoned the true way. Thus thinking that they can find a better way, they go astray and are severely distressed, as they walk about in the regions where there is no way. But those who have fallen into fire and are burned, these have finally rebelled from the living God, and it has never again entered into their hearts to repent because of the lusts of their wantonness and of the wickedness which they wrought. But the others, which have fallen near the waters and yet cannot roll into the water, would you know who are they? These are those who have heard the word, and would be baptized to the name of the Lord. Then, when they [are confronted with] the purity of the truth, they change their minds, and go back again after their evil desires."

So she finished the explanation of the tower. Still importunate, I asked her further: whether, for all these stones that were rejected and would not fit into the building of the tower, there was repentance, and had they a place in this tower.

"They can repent," she said, "but they cannot be fitted into this tower. Yet they shall be fitted into another place much more humble, but not until they have undergone torments, and have fulfilled the days of their sins. They shall be changed for this reason, because they participated in the Righteous Word; and then shall it befall them to be relieved from their torments, if [the realization of] the evil deeds, which they have done, comes into their heart; but if the [realization] doesn't come into their heart, they are not saved by reason of the hardness of their hearts."

8. When then I ceased asking her concerning all these things, she said to me; "Would you see something else?"

Being very desirous of seeing, I greatly rejoiced that I should see it.

She looked on me, and smiled, and she said to me, "Do you see seven women round the tower?"

"I see them, lady," I said.

"This tower is supported by them by the commandment of the Lord. Hear now their employments. The first of them, the woman with the strong hands, is called Faith; through her the elect of God are saved. And the second, that is girded about and looks like a man, is called Continence; she is the daughter of Faith. Whoever then shall follow her, becomes happy in this life, for he shall refrain from all evil deeds, believing that, if he refrain from every evil desire, he shall inherit eternal life."

"And the others, lady, who be they?"

"They are daughters one of the other. The name of the one is Simplicity, of the next, Knowledge, of the next, Guilelessness, of the next, Reverence, of the next, Love. When you will do all the works of their mother, you can live."

"I would like to know, lady," I said, "what power each of them possesses."

"Listen then," she said, "to the powers which they have. Their powers are mastered each by the other, and they follow each other in the order in which they were born. From Faith is born Continence, from Continence Simplicity, from Simplicity Guilelessness, from Guilelessness Reverence, from Reverence Knowledge, from Knowledge Love. Their works then are pure and reverent and divine. Whoever therefore shall serve these women, and shall have strength to master their works, shall have his dwelling in the tower with the saints of God."

Then I asked her concerning the seasons, whether the consummation is even now. But she cried aloud, saying, "Foolish man, don't you see that the tower is still a-building? Therefore whenever the tower is finished, the end comes; but it shall be built up quickly. Ask me no more questions: this reminder is sufficient for you and for the saints, and is the renewal of your spirits. But it was not revealed to yourself alone, but in order that you might show these things to all. After three days -- for you must understand first, and I charge you, Hermas, first with these words, which I am about to speak to you -- (I charge you to) tell all these things into the ears of the saints, that hearing them and doing them they may be purified from their wickedness, and yourself also with them.

9. "Hear me, my children. I brought you up in much simplicity and guilelessness and reverence, through the mercy of the Lord, Who instilled righteousness into you, so that you might be justified and sanctified from all wickedness and all crookedness. But you will not cease from your wickedness. Now then hear me and be at peace among yourselves, and have regard one to another, and assist one another, and do not partake of the creatures of God alone in abundance; but share them also with those who are in want. For some men through their much eating bring weakness on the flesh, and injure their flesh: whereas the flesh of those who have nothing to eat is injured by their not having sufficient nourishment, and their body is ruined. This exclusiveness therefore is hurtful to you who have and do not share with those who are in want. Look to the judgment that's coming. You then who have more than enough, seek out those who are hungry, while the tower is still unfinished; for after the tower is finished, you will desire to do good, and will find no place for it. Look, therefore, you who exult in your wealth, lest those that are in want shall moan, and their moaning shall go up to the Lord, and you with your abundance of good things be shut outside the door of the tower. Now therefore I say to you who are rulers of the Church, and that occupy the chief seats; don't be like the sorcerers. The sorcerers indeed carry their drugs in boxes, but you carry your drug and your poison in your heart. You are case-hardened, and you will not cleanse your hearts and mix your wisdom together in a clean heart that you may obtain mercy from the Great King. Look therefore, children, lest these divisions of yours deprive you of your life. How is it that you wish to instruct the elect of the Lord, while you yourselves have no instruction? Instruct one another therefore, and have peace among yourselves, that I also may stand gladsome before the Father, and give an account concerning you all to your Lord."

10. When then she ceased speaking with me, the six young men, who were building, came, and took her away to the tower, and another four lifted the couch, and took it also away to the tower. I didn't see the face of these, because they were turned away.

As she went, I asked her to reveal to me concerning the three forms, in which she had appeared to me.

She answered and said to me; "As concerning these things you must ask another that they be revealed to you."

Now she was seen of me, brethren, in my first vision of last year, as a very aged woman and seated on a chair. In the second vision her face was youthful, but her flesh and her hair were aged, and she spoke to me standing; and she was more gladsome than before. But in the third vision she was altogether youthful and of exceeding great beauty, and her hair alone was aged; and she was gladsome exceedingly and seated on a couch. Touching these things I was very greatly anxious to learn this revelation.

I saw the aged woman in a vision during the night, saying to me, "Every enquiry needs humility. Therefore, fast, and you will receive what you asks from the Lord."

So I fasted one day; and that very night there appeared to me a young man.

11. "Listen," he said, "concerning the three forms, of which you enquire. In the first vision why did she appear to you an aged woman and seated on a chair? Because your spirit was aged, and already decayed, and had no power by reason of your infirmities and acts of double-mindedness. As aged people, no longer having any hope of renewing their youth, expect nothing else but to fall asleep, so you also, being weakened with the affairs of this world, gave yourselves over to repining, and didn't cast your cares on the Lord; but your spirit was broken, and you were aged by your sorrows."

12. "But in the second vision you saw her standing, and with her countenance more youthful and more gladsome than before; but her flesh and her hair aged. Listen to this parable also," he said. "Imagine an old man, who has now lost all hope because of his weakness and his poverty, and expects nothing but the last day of his life. Suddenly an inheritance is left him. He hears the news, rises up, and full of joy, clothes himself with strength, and no longer lies down, but stands up. His spirit, which was broken by reason of his former circumstances, is renewed again, and he no longer sits, but takes courage; so it was with you, when you heard the revelation which the Lord revealed to you. He had compassion on you, and renewed your spirits, and you laid aside your maladies, and strength came to you, and you were made powerful in the faith, and the Lord rejoiced to see you put on your strength. Therefore He showed you the building of the tower; yes, and other things also shall He show you, if you be at peace among yourselves with your whole heart.

13. "But in the third vision you saw her younger and fair and gladsome, and her form fair. Just as when some piece of good tidings comes to a mourner, immediately he forgets his former sorrow, and admits nothing but the tidings which he has heard, and from then on, is strengthened to that which is good, and his spirit is renewed because of the joy which he has received; so also you have received a renewal of your spirits by seeing these good things. Whereas you saw her seated on a couch, the position is a firm one; for the couch has four feet and stands firmly; for the world too is upheld by means of four elements. Those then that have fully repented shall be young again, and founded firmly, seeing that they have repented with their whole heart.

There you have the revelation entire and complete. You must ask nothing more as touching revelation; but if anything be lacking still, is shall be revealed to you."
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