1. After I had written down the commandments and parables of the shepherd, the angel of repentance, he came to me and said to me; "I wish to show you all things that the Holy Spirit, Which spoke with you in the form of the Church, showed to you. That Spirit is the Son of God. When you were weaker in the flesh, it was not declared to you through an angel; but when you were enabled through the Spirit, and grew mighty in your strength so that you could even see an angel, then at length, the building of the tower was shown to you, through the Church. In a fair and seemly manner you were shown all things, as it were by a virgin; but now by an angel, though by the same Spirit. Yet must you learn everything more accurately from me. To this end also was I appointed by the glorious angel to dwell in your house, so that you might see all things mightily, not terrified by anything, even as before."

He took me away to Arcadia, to a certain rounded mountain, and set me on the top of the mountain, and showed me a great plain, and round the plain twelve mountains, the mountains having each a different appearance.

The first was black as soot;

The second was bare, without vegetation;

The third was thorny and full of briars;

The fourth had the vegetation half-withered, the upper part of the grass green, but the part by the roots withered, and some of the grass became withered, whenever the sun had scorched it;

The fifth mountain had green grass and was rugged;

The sixth mountain was full with clefts throughout, some small and some great, and the clefts had vegetation, but the grass was not very luxuriant, but rather as if it had been withered;

The seventh mountain had smiling vegetation, and the whole mountain was in a thriving condition, and cattle and birds of every kind fed on that mountain; and the more the cattle and the birds fed, so much the more did the herbage of that mountain flourish.

The eighth mountain was full of springs, and every kind of creature of the Lord drank of the springs on that mountain.

The ninth mountain had no water at all, and was entirely desert; and it had in it wild beasts and deadly reptiles, which destroy mankind.

The tenth mountain had very large trees and was umbrageous throughout, and beneath the shade lay sheep resting and feeding.

The eleventh mountain was thickly wooded all over, and the trees thereon were very productive, decked with various kinds of fruits, so that one seeing them would desire to eat of their fruits.

The twelfth mountain was altogether white, and its aspect was cheerful; and the mountain was most beauteous in itself.

2. In the middle of the plain he showed me a great white rock, rising up from the plain. The rock was loftier than the mountains, being four-square, so that it could contain the whole world. Now this rock was ancient, and had a gate hewn out of it; but the gate seemed to me to have been hewed out quite recently. The gate glistened beyond the brightness of the sun, so that I marvelled at the brightness of the gate.

Around the gate stood twelve virgins. The four that stood at the corners seemed to me to be more glorious [than the rest]; but the others likewise were glorious. [The four] stood at the four quarters of the gate, and virgins stood in pairs between them.. They were clothed in linen tunics and girded about in seemly fashion, having their right shoulders free, as if they intended to carry some burden. Thus were they prepared, for they were very cheerful and eager.

After I had seen these things, I marvelled in myself at the greatness and the glory of what I was seeing. Again I was perplexed concerning the virgins, that delicate as they were they stood up like men, as if they intended to carry the whole heaven.

3. I saw six men come, tall and glorious and alike in appearance. They summoned a multitude of men. The others also which came were tall men and handsome and powerful. The six men ordered them to build a tower above the gate. There arose a great noise from those men who had come to build the tower, as they ran this way and that round the gate. For the virgins standing round the gate told the men to hasten to build the tower. Now the virgins had spread out their hands, as if they would take something from the men.

The six men ordered stones to come up from a certain deep place, and to go to the building of the tower. There went up ten stones square and polished, not hewn from a quarry. The six men called to the virgins, and ordered them to carry all the stones which should go to the building of the tower, and to pass through the gate and to hand them to the men who were about to build the tower. The virgins laid the first ten stones which rose out of the deep on each other, and they carried them together, stone by stone.

4. Just as they stood together around the gate, in that order they carried them. Those who seemed to be strong enough stooped under the corners of the stone, while the others stooped at the sides of the stone. So they carried all the stones. They carried them right through the gate, as they were ordered, and handed them to the men for the tower; and these took the stones and built.

Now the building of the tower was on the great rock and above the gate. Those ten stones then were joined together, and they covered the whole rock. Those formed a foundation for the building of the tower. The rock and the gate supported the whole tower.

After the ten stones, another twenty-five stones came up from the deep, and these were fitted into the building of the tower, being carried by the virgins, like the former.

After these thirty-five stones came up. These likewise were fitted into the tower. After these came up other forty stones, and these all were put into the building of the tower.

So four rows were made in the foundations of the tower. [The stones] ceased coming up from the deep, and the builders likewise ceased for a little.

Again the six men ordered the multitude of the people to bring in stones from the mountains for the building of the tower. They were brought in accordingly from all the mountains, of various colours, shaped by the men, and were handed to the virgins; and the virgins carried them right through the gate, and handed them in for the building of the tower.

When the various stones were placed in the building, they became all alike and white, and they lost their various colours. But some stones were handed in by the men for the building, and these did not become bright; but remained just as they were found; for they were not handed in by the virgins, nor had they been carried in through the gate. These stones, then, were unsightly in the building of the tower. Then the six men, seeing the stones that were unsightly in the building, ordered them to be removed and carried below into their own place from which they were brought.

Then they said to the men who were bringing the stones in; "Abstain for your parts altogether from handing in stones for the building; but place them by the tower, so that the virgins may carry them through the gate, and hand them in for the building. For if," they said, "they are not carried in through the gate by the hands of these virgins, they cannot change their colours. Therefore don't labour in vain."

5. The building was finished for the day, yet the tower wasn't finally completed, because it was to be carried up still higher. There was a cessation in the building. The six men ordered the builders to retire for a short time all of them, and to rest; but the virgins they ordered not to retire from the tower. I thought the virgins were left to guard the tower.

After all had retired and rested, I said to the shepherd; "how is it, Sir," I said, "that the building of the tower was not completed?"

"The tower," he said, "cannot yet be finally completed, until its master come and test this building, so that if any stones are found crumbling, he may change them; for the tower is being built according to His will."

"I would like to know, Sir," I said, "what is this building of this tower, and concerning the rock and gate, and the mountains, and the virgins, and the stones that came up from the deep, and were not shaped, but went just as they were into the building; and why ten stones were first placed in the foundations, then twenty five, then thirty-five, then forty, and concerning the stones which had gone to the building and were removed again and put away in their own place -- concerning all these things set my soul at rest, Sir, and explain them to me."

"After a few days we shall come here, and you will see the sequel that overtakes this tower and will understand all the parables accurately."

After a few days we came to the place where we had sat, and he said to me, "Let us go to the tower; for the owner of the tower is coming to inspect it."

We came to the tower, and there was no one at all by it, save the virgins alone. The shepherd asked the virgins whether the master of the tower had arrived. They said that he would be there directly to inspect the building.

6. After a little while, I looked, and saw an array of many men coming, and in the midst a man of such lofty stature that he over topped the tower. The six men who superintended the building walked with him on the right hand and on the left, and all those who worked at the building were with him, and many other glorious attendants around him. The virgins who watched the tower ran up and kissed him, and they began to walk by his side around the tower.

That man inspected the building so carefully, that he felt each single stone; and he held a rod in his hand and struck each single stone that was built in. When he smote, some of the stones became black as soot, others mildewed, others cracked, others broke off short, others became neither white nor black, others rough and not fitting in with the other stones which were found unsound for the building. So he ordered all these to be removed from the tower, and to be placed by the side of the tower, and other stones to be brought and put into their place.

The builders asked him from what mountain he desired stones to be brought and put into their place. He would not have them brought from the mountains, but ordered them to be brought from a certain plain that was nearby. The plain was dug, and stones were found there bright and square, but some of them too were round. All the stones which there were anywhere in that plain were brought every one of them, and were carried through the gate by the virgins. The square stones were hewed, and set in the place of those which had been removed; but the round ones were not placed in the building, because they were too hard to be shaped, and to work on them was slow. So they were placed by the side of the tower, as though they were intended to be shaped and placed in the building; for they were very bright.

7. So then, having accomplished these things, the glorious man who was lord of the whole tower called the shepherd to him, and delivered to him all the stones which lay by the side of the tower, which were cast out from the building, and said to him; "Clean these stones carefully, and set them in the building of the tower, these, I mean, which can fit with the rest; but those which will not fit, throw far away from the tower." Having given these orders to the shepherd, he departed from the tower withall those with whom he had come. The virgins stood round the tower watching it.

I said to the shepherd, "How can these stones go again to the building of the tower, seeing that they have been disapproved?"

He answered, "See these stones?"

"I see them, Sir," I said.

"I myself," he said, "will shape the greater part of these stones and put them into the building, and they shall fit in with the remaining stones."

"How, Sir," I said, "can they, when they are chiselled, fill the same space?"

He said to me in answer, "As many as shall be found small, shall be put into the middle of the building; but as many as are larger, shall be placed nearer the outside, and they will bind them together."

With these words he said to me, "Let us go away, and after two days let us come and clean these stones, and put them into the building; for all things round the tower must be made clean, lest haply the master comes suddenly and finds the circuit of thetower dirty, and become wroth, and so these stones shall not go to the building of the tower, and I shall appear to be careless in my master's sight."

After two days we came to the tower, and he said to me; "Let us inspect all the stones, and see those which can go to the building."

I said to him, "Sir, let us inspect them."

8. So commencing first we began to inspect the BLACK stones; and just as they were when set aside from the building, such also they were found. The shepherd ordered them to be removed from the tower and to be put on one side.

Then he inspected those that were MILDEWED, and he took and shaped many of them, and ordered the virgins to take them up and put them into the building. The virgins took them up and placed them in the building of the tower in a middle position. But therest he ordered to be placed with the black ones; for these also were found black.

Then he began to inspect those that had the CRACKS; and of these he shaped many, and he ordered them to be carried away by the hands of the virgins for the building. They were placed towards the outside, because they were found to be sounder. But the rest could not be shaped owing to the number of the cracks. For this reason therefore they were cast aside from the building of the tower.

Then he proceeded to inspect the STUNTED ones, and many among them were found black, and some had contracted great cracks; and he ordered these also to be placed with those that had been cast aside. But those of them which remained he cleaned and shaped, and ordered to be placed in the building. So the virgins took them up, and fitted them into the middle of the building of the tower; for they were somewhat weak.

Then he began to inspect those that were HALF WHITE AND HALF BLACK, and many of them were now found black; and he order these also to be taken up with those that had been cast aside. But all the rest were found white, and were taken up by the virgins; for being white they were fitted by the virgins themselves into the building. But they were placed towards the outside, because they were found sound, so that they could hold together those that were placed in the middle; for not a single one of them was too short.

Then he began to inspect the HARD AND ROUGH; and a few of them were cast away, because they could not be shaped; for they were found very hard. But the rest of them were shaped and taken up by the virgins and fitted into the middle of the building of the tower; for they were somewhat weak.

Then he proceeded to inspect those that had the SPOTS, and of these some few had turned black and were cast away among the rest; but the remainder were found bright and sound, and these were fitted by the virgins into the building; but they were placed towards the outside, owing to their strength.

9. Then he came to inspect the WHITE AND ROUND stones, and he said to me; "What shall we do with these stones?"

"How do I know, Sir?" I said.

He said to me, "Don't you Perceive anything concerning then?"

"I, Sir," I said, "do not possess this art, neither am I a mason, nor can I understand."

"Don't you see," he said, "that they are very round; and if I wish to make them square, very much must be chiselled off from them? Yet some of them must of necessity be placed into the building."

"If then, Sir," I said, "it must needs be so, why distress yourself, and why not choose out for the building those you will, and fit them into it?"

He chose out from them the large and the bright ones, and shaped them; and the virgins took them up, and fitted them into the outer parts of the building. But the rest, which remained over, were taken up, and put aside into the plain whence they were brought; they were not however cast away, "Because," he said, "there remains still a little of the tower to be built. The master of the tower is exceeding anxious that these stones be fitted into the building, for they are very bright."

Twelve women were called, most beautiful in form, clad in black, girded about and having the shoulders bare, with their hair hanging loose. These women, I thought had a savage look. The shepherd ordered them to take up the stones which had been cast away form the building, and to carry them off to the same mountains from which they had been brought. So they took them up joyfully, and carried away all the stones and put them in the place from which they had been taken.

After all the stones had been taken up, and not a single stone still lay round the tower, the shepherd said to me; "Let us go round the tower, and see that there is no defect in it."

I proceeded to go round it with him. When the shepherd saw that the tower was very comely in the building, he was exceedingly glad; for the tower was so well built, that when I saw it I coveted the building of it. The stone-work appeared as if hewn out of the rock; for it seemed to me to be all a single stone.

10. I, as I walked with him, was glad to see so brave a sight. The shepherd said to me; "Go and bring plaster and fine clay, so I may fill up the shapes of the stones that have been taken up and put into the building; for all the circuit of the tower must be made smooth."

I did as he bade, and brought them to him.

"Assist me," he said, "and the work will speedily be accomplished."

So he filled in the shapes of the stones which had gone to the building, and ordered the circuit of the tower to be swept and made clean. The virgins took brooms and swept, and they removed all the rubbish from the tower, and sprinkled water, and the sight of the tower was made cheerful and very seemly.

The shepherd said to me, "All," he said, "has now been cleaned. If the Lord comes to inspect the tower, he has nothing for which to blame us."

Saying this, he desired to go away. But I caught hold of his wallet, and began to adjure him by the Lord that he would explain to me what he had showed me.

He said to me; "I am busy for a little while, and then I will explain everything to you. Wait for me here till I come."

I said to him; "Sir, when I am here alone what shall I do?"

"You are not alone," he said; "for these virgins are here with you."

"Commend me then to them," I said.

The shepherd calls them to him and said to them; "I commend this man to you till I come," and he departed.

So I was alone with the virgins; and they were most cheerful, and kindly disposed to me, especially the four of them who were the more glorious in appearance.

11. The virgins said to me; "Today the shepherd won't come here."

"What shall I do then?" I said.

"Wait for him," they said, "till evening; and if he comes, he will speak with you; but if he doesn't come, you must stay here with us till he comes."

I said to them; "I will await him till evening, and if he doesn't come, I will depart home and return early in the morning."

But they answered me, "You were entrusted to us; you can't depart from us."

"Where then," I said, "shall I remain?"

"You must pass the night with us," they said, "as a brother, not as a husband; for you are our brother, and henceforward we will dwell with you; for we love you dearly."

But I was ashamed to abide with them. The one who seemed to be the chief of them began to kiss and to embrace me; and the others seeing her embrace me, they too began to kiss me; and to lead me round the tower, and to sport with me. I had become as it were a younger man, and I also began to sport with them. Some of them began to dance, others to skip, others to sing. But I kept silence and walked with them round the tower, and was glad with them.

But when evening came I wished to go away home; but they would not let me go, but detained me. I spent the night with them, and slept by the side of the tower. The virgins spread their linen tunics on the ground, and made me lie down in the midst of them, and they did nothing else but pray; and I prayed with them without ceasing and not less than they. The virgins rejoiced that I so prayed. I stayed there with the virgins until the second hour of the morning.

Then came the shepherd, and said to the virgins; "Have you done him any injury?"

"Ask him," they said.

I said to him, "Sir, I was rejoiced to stay with them."

"On what did you dine?" he said.

"I dined, Sir," I said, "on the words of the Lord the whole night through."

"Did they treat you well?" he said.

"Yes, Sir," I said.

"Now," he said, "what would you hear first?"

"In the order as you showed to me, Sir, from the beginning," I said; "I request you, Sir, to explain to me exactly in the order that I shall enquire of you."

"According as you desire," he said, "so will I interpret to you, and I will conceal nothing whatever from you."

12. "First of all, Sir," I said, "explain this to me. The rock and the gate, what is it?"

"This rock," he said, "and gate is the Son of God."

"How, Sir," I said, "is the rock ancient, but the gate recent?"

"Listen," he said, "and understand. The Son of God is older than all His creation, so that He became the Father's adviser in His creation. Therefore also He is ancient."

"The gate, then, why is it recent, Sir?" I said.

"Because," he said, "He was made manifest in the last days of the consummation; therefore the gate was made recent, so they who are to be saved may enter through it into the kingdom of God.

"Did you see," he said, "the stones which came through the gate have gone to the building of the tower, but those that didn't come through it were cast away again to their own place?"

"I saw, Sir," I said.

"Thus," he said, "no one shall enter into the kingdom of God except he receives the name of His Son. For if you wish to enter into any city, and that city is walled all around and has one gate only, can you enter into that city except through the gate?"

"Why, how, Sir," I said, "is it possible otherwise?"

"If then you can't enter into the city except through the gate itself, even so," he said, "a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God except by the name of His Son who is beloved by Him.

"Did you see," he said, "the multitude that is building the tower?"

"I saw it, Sir," I said.

"They," he said, "are all glorious angels. With these then the Lord is walled around. But the gate is the Son of God; there is one entrance only to the Lord. No one then shall enter in to Him otherwise than through His Son.

"Did you see," he said, "the six men, and the glorious and mighty man in the midst of them, who walked about the tower and rejected the stones from the building?"

"I saw him, Sir," I said.

"The glorious man," he said, "is the Son of God, and those six are the glorious angels who guard Him on the right hand and on the left. Of these Glorious angels not one shall enter in to God without Him; whoever shall not receive His name, shall not enter into the kingdom of God."

13. "But the tower," I said, "what is it?"

"The tower," he said, "why, this is the Church."

"These virgins, who are they?"

"They," he said, "are holy spirits; and no man can otherwise be found in the kingdom of God, unless these shall clothe him with their garment; for if you receive only the name, but don't receive the garment from them, you profit nothing. For these virgins are powers of the Son of God. If therefore you bear the Name, and don't bear His power, you will bear His Name to no effect.

"These stones," he said, "which you saw cast away, these bore the Name, but didn't clothed themselves with the raiment of the virgins."

"Of what sort, Sir," I said, "is their raiment?"

"The names themselves," he said, "are their raiment. Whoever bears the Name of the Son of God, ought to bear the names of these also; for even the Son Himself bears the names of these virgins. As many stones as you saw enter into the building of the tower, being given by their hands and waiting for the building, they have been clothed in the power of these virgins. For this cause you see the tower made a single stone with the rock. So also those who have believed in the Lord through His Son and clothe themselves in these spirits, shall become one spirit and one body, and their garments all of one colour. Such persons as bear the names of the virgins have their dwelling in the tower."

"The stones then, Sir," I said, "which are cast aside, why where they cast aside? For they passed through the gate and were placed in the building of the tower by the hands of the virgins."

"These all," he said, "received the name of the Son of God, and likewise received the power of these virgins. When they received these spirits, they were strengthened, and were with the servants of God, and had one spirit and one body and one garment. They had the same mend, and did righteousness. After a certain time they were persuaded by the women whom you saw clad in black raiment with their shoulders bare and their hair loose, and beautiful in form. When they saw them they desired them, and clothed themselves with their power; but they stripped off from themselves the power of the virgins. They then were cast away from the house of God, and delivered to these [women]. But those who were not deceived by the beauty of these women remained in the house of God. So you have the interpretation of those who were cast aside."

14. "What then, Sir," I said, "if these men, being such as they are, should repent and put away their desire for these women, and return to the virgins, and walk in their power and in their works? Shall they not enter into the house of God?"

"They shall enter," he said, "if they put away the works of these women, and take again the power of the virgins, and walk in their works. This is the reason why there was also a cessation in the building, so that, if these don't repent, then others will go, and these shall be cast away finally."

For all these things I gave thanks to the Lord, because He had compassion on all who called on His name, and sent the angel of repentance to us who had sinned against Him, and refreshed our spirit, and, when we were already ruined and had no hope of life, restored our life.

"Now, Sir," I said, "show me why the tower is not built on the ground, but on the rock and on the gate."

"Listen," he said.

"The name of the Son of God is great and incomprehensible, and sustains the whole world. If then all creation is sustained by the Son of God, what do you think of those who are called by Him, and bear the name of the Son of God, and walk according to His commandments? Don't you see then what kind of men He sustains? -- Those who bear His name with their whole heart. He Himself then has become their foundation, and He sustains them gladly, because they are not ashamed to bear His name."

Return to home page

15. "Declare to me, Sir," I said, "the names of the virgins, and of the women who are clothed in the black garments."

"Hear," he said, "the names of the more powerful virgins, those who are stationed at the corners. The first is FAITH, the second, CONTINENCE, and the third, POWER, and the fourth, LONGSUFFERING. But the others stationed between them have these names --SIMPLICITY, GUILELESSNESS, PURITY, CHEERFULNESS, TRUTH, UNDERSTANDING, CONCORD, LOVE. He who bears these names and the name of the Son of God shall be able to enter into the kingdom of God.

"Hear," he said, "likewise the names of the women who wear the black garments. Of these also four are more powerful than the rest; the first is UNBELIEF; the second, INTEMPERANCE; the third, DISOBEDIENCE; the fourth, DECEIT; and their followers are called, SADNESS, WICKEDNESS, WANTONNESS, IRASCIBILITY, FALSEHOOD, FOLLY, SLANDER, HATRED. The servant of God who bears these names shall see the kingdom of God, but shall not enter into it."

"But the stones, Sir," I said, "that came from the deep, and were fitted into the building, who are they?"

"The first," he said, "that is, the TEN, that were placed in the foundations, are the first generation;

"The TWENTY-FIVE are the second generation of righteous men;

"The THIRTY-FIVE are God's prophets and His ministers;

"The FORTY are apostles and teachers of the preaching of the Son of God."

"Why then, Sir," I said, "did the virgins give in these stones also for the building of the tower and carry them through the gate?"

"Because these first," he said, "bore these spirits, and they never separated from one another, neither the spirits from the men nor the men from the spirits, but the spirits abode with them till they fell asleep. If they had not had these spirits withthem, they would not have been found useful for the building of this tower."

16. "Why, Sir," I said, "did the stones come up from the deep, and why were they placed into the building, though they bore these spirits?"

"It was necessary for them," he said, "to rise up through water, so they might be made alive; for otherwise they could not enter into the kingdom of God, except they had put aside the deadness of their former life. So these likewise who had fallen asleep received the seal of the Son of God and entered into the kingdom of God. For before a man has borne the name of the Son of God, he is dead; but when he has received the seal, he lays aside his deadness, and resumes life. The seal then is the water: so they go down into the water dead, and they come up alive. Thus to them also this seal was preached, and they availed themselves of it so they might enter into the kingdom of God."

"Why, Sir," I said, "did the forty stones also come up with them from the deep, though they had already received the seal?"

"Because," he said, "these, the apostles and the teachers who preached the name of the Son of God, after they had fallen asleep in the power and faith of the Son of God, preached also to those who had fallen asleep before them, and themselves gave to them the seal of the preaching. Therefore they went down with them into the water, and come up again. But these went down alive and again came up alive; whereas the others who had fallen asleep before them went down dead and came up alive. So by their means they were quickened into life, and came to the full knowledge of the name of the Son of God. For this cause also they came up with them, and were fitted with them into the building of the tower and were built with them, without being shaped; for they fell asleep in righteousness and in great purity. Only they didn't have this seal. You have then the interpretation of these things also."

"I have, Sir," I said.

17. "Now then, Sir, explain to me concerning the mountains. Why are their forms so diverse from one another?"

"Listen," he said. "These twelve mountains are twelve tribes that inhabit the whole world. To these [tribes] then the Son of God was preached by the Apostles."

"Explain to me, Sir, why they are various -- these mountains -- and each has a different appearance."

"Listen," he said. "These twelve tribes which inhabit the whole world are twelve nations; and they are various in understanding and in mind. As various, then, as you saw these mountains to be, such also are the varieties in the mind of these nations, and such their understanding. I will show to you the conduct of each"

"First, Sir," I said, "show me this, why the mountains being so various, yet, when the stones were set into the building, became bright and of one colour, just like the stones that came up from the deep."

"Because," he said, "all the nations that dwell under heaven, when they heard and believed, were called by the one name of the Son of God. So having received the seal, they had one understanding and one mind, and one faith became theirs and one love, and they bore the spirits of the virgins along with the Name; therefore the building of the tower became of one colour, even bright as the sun. But after they entered in together, and became one body, some of them defiled themselves, and were cast out from the society of the righteous, and became again the same as they were before, or rather even worse."

18. "How, Sir," I said, "did they become worse, after they had fully known God?"

"He who doesn't knows God," he said, "and commits wickedness, has a certain punishment for his wickedness; but the one who knows God fully ought no longer to commit wickedness, but to do good. If then the one who ought to do good commits wickedness, does he not seem to do greater wickedness than the man who doesn't know God? therefore those who have not known God, and commit wickedness, are condemned to death; but those who have known God and seen His mighty works, and yet commit wickedness, shall receive a double punishment, and shall die eternally.

"In this way therefore shall the Church of God be purified. As you saw the stones removed from the tower and delivered over to the evil spirits, they too shall be cast out; and there shall be one body of those who are purified, just as the tower, after it had been purified, became, as it were, made of one stone. Thus shall it be with the Church of God also, after she has been purified, and the wicked and hypocrites and blasphemers and double-minded and those who commit various kinds of wickedness have been cast out. When these have been cast out, the Church of God shall be one body, one understanding, one mind, one faith, one love. Then the Son of God shall rejoice and be glad in them, because He has received His people back pure."

"Great and glorious, Sir," I said, "are all these things. Once more, Sir, show me the force and the doings of each one of the mountains, so that every soul that trusts in the Lord, when it hears, may glorify His great and marvellous and glorious Name."

"Listen," he said, "to the variety of the mountains and of the twelve nations.

19. "From the FIRST mountain, which was BLACK, those who have believed are such as these; rebels and blasphemers against the Lord, and betrayers of the servants of God. For these there is no repentance, but there is death. For this cause also they are black; for their race is lawless.

"From the SECOND mountain, the BARE one, those who believed are such as these; hypocrites and teachers of wickedness. These then are like the former in not having the fruit of righteousness. For, even as their mountain is unfruitful, so likewise such men as these have a name indeed, but they are void of the faith, and there is no fruit of truth in them. For these then repentance is offered, if they repent quickly; but if they delay, they will have their death with the former."

"Why, Sir," I said, "is repentance possible for them, but not for the former? For their doings are almost the same."

"On this account," he said, "is repentance offered for them, because they didn't blasphemed their Lord, nor became betrayers of the servants of God; yet from the desire of gain they played the hypocrite, and taught each other after the desires of sinful men. But they shall pay a certain penalty; yet repentance is ordained for them, because they are not become blasphemers or betrayers.

20. "From the THIRD mountain, which had THORNS AND BRIARS, those who believed are such as these; some of them are wealthy and others are entangled in many business affairs. The briars are the wealthy, and the thorns are those who are mixed up in various business affairs. These then, who are mixed up in many and various business affairs, don't cleave to the servants of God, but go astray, being choked by their affairs, but the wealthy unwillingly cleave to the servants of God, fearing lest they may be asked for something by them. Such men therefore shall hardly enter into the kingdom of God. For as it is difficult to walk on briars with bare feet, so also it is difficult for such men to enter the kingdom of God. But for all these repentance is possible, but it must be speedy, so that in respect to what they omitted to do in the former times, they may now revert to [past] days, and do some good. If then they shall repent and do some good, they shall live to God; but if they continue in their doings, they shall be delivered over to those women, which shall put them to death.

21. "From the FOURTH mountain, which had MUCH VEGETATION, the upper part of the grass GREEN AND the part towards the roots WITHERED, and some of it dried up by the sun, those who believe are such as these; the double-minded, and those who have the Lord on their lips, but don't have Him in their heart. Therefore their foundations are dry and without power, and their words only live, but their works are dead. Such men are neither alive nor dead. They are, therefore, like to the double-minded; for the double-minded are neither green nor withered; for they are neither alive nor dead. For as the Grass is withered up when it saw the sun, so also the double-minded, when they hear of tribulation, through their cowardice worship idols and are ashamed of the name of their Lord. Such are neither alive nor dead. Yet those also, if they repent quickly, shall be able to live; but if they don't repent, they are delivered over already to the women who deprive them of their life.

22. "From the FIFTH mountain, which had GREEN GRASS AND WAS RUGGED, those who believed are such as these; they are faithful, but slow to learn and stubborn and self-pleasers, desiring to know all things, and yet they know nothing at all. By reason of this their stubbornness, understanding stood aloof from them, and a foolish senselessness entered into them; and they praised themselves as having understanding, and they desire to be self-appointed teachers, senseless though they are. Owing then to this pride of heart many, while they exalted themselves, have been made empty; for stubbornness and vain confidence is a mighty demon. Of these then many were cast away, but some repented and believed, and submitted themselves to those who had understanding, having realised their own senselessness. Yes, and to the rest who belong to this class, repentance is offered; for they did not become wicked, but rather foolish and without understanding. If these then shall repent, they shall live to God; but if they don't repent, they shall have their abode with the women who work evil against them.

23. "Those who believed from the SIXTH mountain, which had GREAT AND SMALL CLEFTS, and in the clefts herbage withered, are such as these; those who have the small clefts, these are those who have aught against one another, and from their backbiting they are withered in the faith; but many of these repented. Yes, and the rest shall repent, when they hear my commandments; for their backbiting are but small, and they shall quickly repent. But those who have great clefts, these are persistent in their backbiting and bear grudges, nursing wrath against one another. These then were thrown right away from the tower and rejected from its building. Such persons therefore shall live, with difficulty.

"If God and our Lord, Who rules over all things and has the authority over all His creation, bears no grudge against those who confess their sins, but is propitiated, does man, who is mortal and full of sins, bear a grudge against man, as though he were able to destroy or save him? I say to you -- I, the angel of repentance -- to as many as hold this heresy: put it away from you and repent, and the Lord shall heal your former sins, if you shall purify yourselves from this demon; but if not, you shall be delivered to him to be put to death.

24. "From the SEVENTH mountain, on which was GREEN AND SMILING HERBAGE, and the whole mountain thriving, and cattle of every kind and the fowls of heaven were feeding on the herbage on that mountain, and the green herbage, on which they fed, only grew the more luxuriant, those who believed are such as these; they were ever simple and guileless and blessed, having nothing against one another, but rejoicing always in the servants of God, and clothed in the Holy Spirit of these virgins, and having compassion always on every man, and out of their labours they supplied every man's need without reproach and without misgiving. The Lord then seeing their simplicity and entire childliness made them abound in the labours of their hands, and bestowed favour on them in all their doings. But I say to you who are such -- I, the angel of repentance -- remain to the end such as you are, and your seed shall never be blotted out. For the Lord has put you to the proof, and enrolled you among our number, and your whole seed shall dwell with the Son of God; for of His Spirit you received.

25. "From the EIGHTH mountain, where there were the MANY SPRINGS, and all the creatures of the Lord drank of the springs, those who believed are such as these; apostles and teachers, who preached to the whole world, and who taught the word of the Lord insoberness and purity, and kept back no part at all for evil desire, but walked always in righteousness and truth, even as also they received the Holy Spirit. Such therefore shall have their entrance with the angels.

26. "From the NINTH mountain, which was DESERT, which had the reptiles and wild beasts in it which destroy mankind, those who believed are such as these; those who have the spots are deacons who exercised their office ill, and plundered the livelihood of widows, and orphans, and made gain for themselves from the ministrations which they had received to perform. If they abide in the same evil desire, they are dead and there is no hope of life for them; but if they turn again and fulfil their ministries in purity, it shall be possible for them to live. But those who are mildewed, these are those who denied and didn't turned again to their Lord, but having become barren and desert, because they don't cleave to the servants of God but remain alone, they destroy their own souls. For as a vine left alone in a hedge, if it meet with neglect, is destroyed and wasted by the weeds, and in time becomes wild and is no longer useful to its owner, so also men of this kind having given themselves up in despair and become useless to their Lord, by growing wild. To these then repentance comes, unless they are found to have denied from the heart; but if a man is found to have denied from the heart, I don't know whether it is possible for him to live.

If a man therefore will repent, let him do so speedily before the tower is completed; but if not, he shall be destroyed by the women and put to death. The stunted, these are the treacherous and backbiters; and the wild beast which you saw on the mountain are these. For as wild beasts with their venom poison and kill a man, so also do the words of such men poison and kill a man. These then are broken off short from their faith through the conduct which they have in themselves; but some of them repented and were saved; and the rest who are of this kind can be saved, if they repent; but if they don't repent, they shall meet their death from those whose power they are possessed.

27. "From the TENTH mountain, where were TREES SHELTERING CERTAIN SHEEP, those who believed are such as these; bishops, hospitable persons, who gladly received into their houses at all times the servants of God without hypocrisy. These bishops at all times without ceasing sheltered the needy and the widows in their ministry and conducted themselves in purity at all times. These all shall be sheltered by the Lord for ever. Those, therefore, who have done these things are glorious in the sight of God, and their place is even now with the angels, if they shall continue to the end serving the Lord.

28. "From the ELEVENTH mountain, where there were TREES FULL OF VARIOUS KINDS OF FRUITS, those who believed are such as these; those who suffered for the Name of the Son of God, suffering readily with their whole heart, and yielding up their lives."

"Why then, Sir," I said, "have all the trees fruits, but some of their fruits are more beautiful than others?"

"Listen," he said; "all who have ever suffered for the Name's sake are glorious in the sight of God, and the sins of all these were taken away, because they suffered for the name of the Son of God. Now hear why their fruits are various, and some surpassing others.

"As many," he said, "as were tortured and didn't deny, when brought before the magistrates, but suffered readily, these are the more glorious in the sight of the Lord; their fruit is that which surpasses. But as many as become cowards, and were lost in uncertainty, and considered in their hearts whether they should deny or confess, and yet suffered, their fruits are less, because this design entered into their heart; for this design is evil, that a servant should deny his own lord.

"See to it, therefore, you who entertain this idea, lest this design remain in your hearts, and you die to God. But you who suffer for the Name's sake ought to glorify God, because God deemed you worthy that you should bear this name, and that all your sins should be healed. Reckon yourselves blessed therefore; yes, rather think that you have done a great work, if any of you shall suffer for God's sake. The Lord bestows life on you, and you don't perceive it; for your sins weighed you down, and if you had not suffered for the Name of the Lord, you would have died to God by reason of your sins.

"These things I say to you who waver as touching denial and confession. Confess that you have the Lord, lest denying Him you be delivered into prison. If the Gentiles punish their slaves, if any one deny his lord, what do you think the Lord will do toyou, He Who has the authority over all things? Away with these designs from your hearts, so that you may live forever to God.

29. "From the TWELFTH mountain, which was WHITE, those who believed are such as these; who are as very babes, into whose heart no guile enters, nor have they learnt what wickedness is, but they remained babes for ever. Such as these then dwell without doubt in the kingdom of God, because they didn't defile the commandments of God in anything whatsoever, but continued as babes all the days of their life in the same mind.

"As many of you therefore as shall so continue," he said, "and shall be as infants not having guile, shall be more glorious even than all those who have been mentioned before; for all infants are glorious in the sight of God, and stand first in His sight. Blessed then are you, as many as have put away wickedness from you, and have clothed yourselves in guilelessness: you shall live to God chiefly of all."

After he had finished the parables of the mountains, I said to him, "Sir, now explain to me concerning the stones that were taken from the plain and placed in the building in the room of the stones that were taken from the tower, and concerning the round[stones] which were placed in the building, and concerning those that were still round."

30. "Hear," he said, "likewise concerning all these things. The stones which were taken from the plain and placed in the building of the tower in the room of those who were rejected, are the roots of this white mountain. When those who believed from this mountain were all found guileless, the Lord of the tower ordered these from the roots of this mountain to be put into the building of the tower. For He knew that if these stones should go to the building of the tower, they would remain bright and not one of them would turn black. But if he had added [stones] from the other mountains, he would have been obliged to visit the tower again, and to purify it.

"Now all these have been found white, who have believed and who shall believe; for they are of the same kind. Blessed is this kind, for it is innocent!

"Likewise, hear now concerning those round bright stones. All these are from this white mountain. Now here why they have been found round. Their riches have darkened and obscured them a little from the truth, yet they never departed from God, nor did any evil word proceed from their mouth, but all equity and virtue which comes from the truth. When therefore the Lord perceived their mind, that they could favour the truth, and likewise remain good, He commanded their possessions to be cut from off them, yet not to be taken away altogether, so they might be able to do some good with what has been left to them, and might live to God, for they come from a good kind. So therefore they have been cut away a little, and placed in the building of this tower.

31. "The other [stones], which have remained round and have not been fitted into the building, because they have not yet received the seal, have been replaced in their own position, for they were found very round. This world and the vanities of their possessions must be cut from off them, and then they will fit into the kingdom of God. It is necessary that they should enter into the kingdom of God; because the Lord has blessed this innocent kind.

"Of this kind then not one shall perish. Yes, even though any of them being tempted by the most wicked devil has committed any fault, he shall return speedily to his Lord. Blessed I pronounce you all to be -- I, the angel of repentance -- whoever of you are guileless as infants, because your part is good and honourable in the sight of God.

"Moreover I bid all of you, whoever has received this seal, keep guilelessness, and bear no grudge, and don't continue in your wickedness nor in the memory of the offences of bitterness; but become of one spirit, and heal these evil clefts and take them away from among you, so that the owner of the flocks may rejoice concerning them. For he will rejoice, if he finds all things whole.

"But if he find any part of the flock scattered, woe to the shepherds. For if the shepherds themselves shall have been found scattered, how will they answer for the flocks? Will they say they were harassed by the flock? No credence will be given them. For it is an incredible thing that a shepherd should be injured by his flock; and he will be punished the more because of his falsehood. I am the shepherd, and it behoves me most strongly to render an account for you.

32. "Amend yourselves therefore, while the tower is still in course of building. The Lord dwells in men who love peace; for to Him peace is dear; but from the contentious and those who are given up to wickedness He keeps afar off.

"Therefore, restore your spirit to Him whole as you received it. For suppose you have given to a fuller a new garment whole, and desire to receive it back again whole, but the fuller give it back to you torn, will you receive it thus? Will you not at once blaze out and attack him with reproaches, saying; 'The garment which I gave you whole; why have you rent it and made it useless? Look, because of the rent, which you have made in it, it's useless!' Will you not then say all this to a fuller even about a rent which he has made in your garment? If you are angered in the matter of your garment, and complain because you didn't receive it back whole, what do you think the Lord will do to you, He, Who gave you the spirit whole, and you have made it absolutely useless, so it cannot be of any use at all to its Lord? Its use began to be useless, when it was corrupted by you. Therefore, won't the Lord of this spirit punish you with death for this deed?"

"Certainly," I said, "all those whomever He shall find continuing to bear malice, He will punish."

"Don't trample," he said, "on His mercy, but rather glorify Him, because He is so long-suffering with your sins, and is not like to you. Practise repentance which is expedient for you.

33. "All the above, I, the shepherd, the angel of repentance, have declared and spoken to the servants of God. If you shall believe and hear my words, and walk in them, and amend your ways, you shall be able to live. But if you continue in wickedness and in bearing malice, no one of this kind shall live to God. All things which were to be spoken by me have [now] been spoken to you."

The shepherd said to me, "Have you asked me all your questions?"

I said, "Yes, Sir."

"Why then have you not enquired concerning the shape of the stones placed in the building, in that we filled up their shapes?"

I said, "I forgot, Sir."

"Listen now," he said, "concerning them. These are those who have heard my commandments now, and have practised repentance with their whole heart. So when the Lord saw that their repentance was good and pure, and that they could continue therein, he ordered their former sins to be blotted out. These shapes then were there former sins, and they have been chiselled away so they wouldn't appear."
Return to table of contents, Part III
Hermas and Didache page
Read on to next section