After I had fasted many times and entreated the Lord to reveal to me the revelation which he had promised to show me through that elderly woman, on that very night the elderly woman appeared to me and said to me: Since you are so much in want and so eager to know all things, come to the field where you farm, and about the fifth hour I will appear to you and show you what you must see.
I asked her, saying: Lady, to what place in the field? Wherever you wish, she said. I chose a fine, secluded place. But before I had spoken to her and named the place, she said to me: I will come there, wherever you wish.
So I came, brethren, to the field, and I counted up the hours and came to the place where I had arranged for her to come, and I saw an ivory couch laid out, and on the couch lay a linen cushion, and over it was spread a linen cloth of fine flax.
Seeing these things laid out and no one in the place, I became astonished, and a kind of trembling seized me and my hair stood on end; and a kind of shuddering came over me as I was alone. So coming to myself and remembering the glory of God and taking courage, I knelt down and again confessed my sins to the Lord, as before.
And she came with six young men, whom I had also seen before, and stood by me and listened as I prayed and confessed my sins to the Lord. And touching me she said: Hermas, stop asking everything about your sins; ask also concerning righteousness, that you may receive some part of it for your household.
And after the young men had withdrawn and we were alone, she said to me: Sit here. I said to her: Lady, let the elders sit first. What I tell you, she said, sit down.
So when I wished to sit on the right-hand side she did not allow me, but signaled to me with her hand that I should sit on the left-hand side. As I was pondering this and grieving because she had not allowed me to sit on the right, she said to me: Are you grieved, Hermas? The place on the right belongs to others, those who have already pleased God and have suffered for the sake of the Name; but you fall far short of sitting with them. Yet as you remain in your simplicity, remain so, and you shall sit with them, as shall all who do their works and endure what they too endured.
What, I said, did they endure? Listen, she said: scourgings, imprisonments, great tribulations, crosses, wild beasts, for the sake of the Name. For this reason the right-hand side of the sanctuary belongs to them, and to whoever suffers for the Name; but to the rest belongs the left-hand side. Yet to both, those seated on the right and those on the left, belong the same gifts and the same promises; only those on the right are seated there and have a certain glory.
But you greatly desire to sit on the right with them, yet your shortcomings are many. You shall be cleansed from your shortcomings; and all who are not double-minded shall be cleansed from all their sins up to this day.
And she again took me by the hand and raised me up and seated me on the couch on the left; and she herself sat on the right. And lifting up a kind of shining rod she said to me: Do you see a great thing? I said to her: Lady, I see nothing. She said to me: Look! Do you not see opposite you a great tower being built upon the waters with shining square stones?
The tower was being built foursquare by the six young men who had come with her; and countless myriads of men were bringing stones, some from the deep and some from the land, and were handing them to the six young men; and they received them and built.
All the stones that were drawn up from the deep they placed thus into the building; for they were already fitted and matched in their joining with the others; and they were so joined to one another that their joints could not be seen. And the building of the tower appeared as though built of a single stone.
But of the other stones brought from the dry land, some they rejected, and some they placed into the building; and others they cut up and threw far away from the tower.
And many other stones lay around the tower, and they did not use them for the building; for some of them were rough-scaly, others had cracks, others were chipped short, and others were white and round and did not fit into the building.
And I saw other stones being thrown far from the tower and coming onto the road, and not remaining on the road but rolling off the road into the pathless place; and others falling into the fire and being burned; and others falling near the waters and unable to roll into the water, though they wished to roll and come into the water.
When she had shown me these things she wished to hurry away. I said to her: Lady, what profit is it to me to have seen these things and not to know what the matters are? Answering me she said: You are a crafty man, wanting to know the things concerning the tower. Yes, I said, lady, that I may announce them to the brethren and they may become more cheerful, and hearing these things may know the Lord in great glory.
She said: Many shall indeed hear; but when they hear, some of them shall rejoice, and some shall weep. Yet even these, if they hear and repent, shall also rejoice. Hear, then, the parables of the tower; for I will reveal everything to you. And trouble me no more about revelation; for these revelations have an end, since they are completed. But you will not cease asking for revelations, for you are shameless.
The tower which you see being built is myself, the Church, who appeared to you both now and before. Whatever, then, you wish, ask concerning the tower, and I will reveal it to you, that you may rejoice with the saints.
I said to her: Lady, since you once counted me worthy to reveal everything to me, reveal it. And she said to me: Whatever can be revealed to you shall be revealed. Only let your heart be toward God, and do not be double-minded about whatever you may see.
I asked her: Why is the tower built upon the waters, lady? I told you before, she said, and you seek diligently; seeking, then, you find the truth. Hear, then, why the tower is built upon the waters: because your life was saved and shall be saved through water. And the tower has been founded upon the word of the almighty and glorious Name, and it is held fast by the unseen power of the Master.
Answering I said to her: Lady, this matter is great and marvelous. But the six young men who build, who are they, lady? These are the holy angels of God who were created first, to whom the Lord delivered all his creation to make it increase and to build it and to rule over all the creation; through these, then, the building of the tower shall be completed.
And the others who carry the stones, who are they? They too are holy angels of God; but these six are higher than they. The building of the tower shall therefore be completed, and all together shall rejoice around the tower and shall glorify God, because the building of the tower has been completed.
I asked her, saying: Lady, I should like to know the going-out of the stones and their power, what sort it is. Answering me she said: It is not because you are worthier than all that it should be revealed to you. For there are others before you and better than you, to whom these visions ought to have been revealed; but in order that the name of God may be glorified, it has been revealed to you and shall be revealed, for the sake of the double-minded, who debate in their hearts whether these things are so or not. Tell them that all these things are true and that nothing is outside the truth, but all are strong and sure and firmly founded.
Hear now concerning the stones that go into the building. The stones that are square and white and matching in their joints—these are the apostles and bishops and teachers and deacons who walked according to the holiness of God and exercised oversight and taught and served the elect of God purely and reverently, some now fallen asleep, others still living; and they always agreed with one another and had peace among themselves and listened to one another. For this reason their joints match in the building of the tower.
But those drawn up from the deep and laid into the building and matching in their joints with the other stones already built—who are they? These are those who suffered for the sake of the name of the Lord.
But the other stones brought from the dry land—I wish to know who they are, lady. She said: Those that go into the building and are not hewn—these the Lord has approved, because they walked in the uprightness of the Lord and rightly carried out his commandments.
But those that are brought and placed into the building—who are they? They are young in the faith and faithful. But they are admonished by the angels to do good, because some wickedness was found in them.
But those that they rejected and threw away—who are they? These are those who have sinned and wish to repent; for this reason they were not thrown far away outside the tower, because they will be useful for the building if they repent. Those, then, who are about to repent, if they repent, shall be strong in the faith, if they repent now, while the tower is being built. But if the building is completed, they will no longer have a place, but will be cast out; this alone they have, to lie beside the tower.
But the stones that are cut up and thrown far from the tower—do you wish to know who they are? These are the sons of lawlessness; they believed in hypocrisy, and no wickedness departed from them; for this reason they have no salvation, because they are not useful for the building on account of their wickedness. For this reason they were cut up and thrown far off because of the wrath of the Lord, because they provoked him to anger.
But the others that you saw lying in great numbers, not going into the building—these are: the rough-scaly ones, who have come to know the truth but did not abide in it;
But those that have cracks—who are they? These are those who hold something against one another in their hearts and are not at peace among themselves, but have a face of peace; yet when they depart from one another, their wickednesses remain in their hearts. These, then, are the cracks that the stones have.
But those that are chipped short—these are those who have indeed believed and have the greater part in righteousness, but have certain parts of lawlessness; for this reason they are stunted and not whole.
But the white and round ones that do not fit into the building—who are they, lady? Answering me she said: How long will you be foolish and without understanding, asking everything and grasping nothing? These are those who have faith, but also have the wealth of this age; when tribulation comes, on account of their wealth and their business dealings they deny their Lord.
And answering her I said: Lady, when then will they be useful for the building? When, she said, their wealth that beguiles them is cut away, then they will be useful to God. For just as a round stone, unless it is cut and casts off something from itself, cannot become square, so also those who are rich in this age, unless their wealth is cut away, cannot become useful to the Lord.
Learn from yourself first: when you were rich, you were useless, but now you are useful and profitable to life. Become useful to God; for you yourself too are used from among these same stones.
But the other stones that you saw thrown far from the tower and falling onto the road and rolling off the road into the pathless places—these are those who have believed, but on account of their double-mindedness abandon their true road; thinking that they can find a better road, they go astray and wretchedly wander, walking in the pathless places.
But those falling into the fire and being burned—these are those who have departed forever from the living God, and it no longer comes up into their heart to repent, on account of the desires of their debauchery and the wicked deeds which they did.
But do you wish to know who are the others falling near the waters and unable to roll into the water? These are those who heard the word and wished to be baptized into the name of the Lord; then, when the purity of the truth comes to their remembrance, they change their mind and go back again after their wicked desires.
Acting shamelessly, I still questioned her, whether indeed for all these stones that were rejected and did not fit into the building of the tower there is repentance, and whether they have a place in this tower. They have repentance, she said, but they cannot fit into this tower;
they shall fit into another, much lower, place, and this only when they have been tormented and have fulfilled the days of their sins. And for this reason they shall be transferred, because they partook of the righteous word. And then it shall come about for them to be transferred from their torments, on account of the wicked works which they did. But if it does not come up into their heart, they are not saved, because of their hardness of heart.
When I had finished asking her about all these things, she said to me: Do you wish to see something else? Being eager to behold I was greatly delighted to see.
Looking at me she smiled slightly and said to me: Do you see seven women around the tower? I see them, I said, lady. This tower is supported by these by the command of the Lord.
The next, the one girded and acting manfully, is called Self-control; she is the daughter of Faith. Whoever, then, follows her becomes blessed in his life, because he will abstain from all evil works, believing that, if he abstains from every evil desire, he will inherit eternal life.
But the others, lady, who are they? They are daughters of one another, and they are called: the one Simplicity, another Knowledge, another Guilelessness, another Reverence, another Love. When, then, you do all the works of their mother, you are able to live.
Their powers are held one by another, and they follow one another, just as they were also begotten. From Faith is begotten Self-control, from Self-control Simplicity, from Simplicity Guilelessness, from Guilelessness Reverence, from Reverence Knowledge, from Knowledge Love. Their works, then, are pure and reverent and divine.
I was asking her about the times, whether the consummation is already here. But she cried out with a loud voice, saying: Foolish man, do you not see the tower still being built? Whenever, then, the tower is finished being built, it has its end. But it will soon be built up. Question me no further about anything; this reminder is enough for you and for the saints, and the renewal of your spirits.
After three days—for you must first understand. But first, Hermas, I command you to speak all these words which I am about to tell you into the ears of the saints, that, hearing them and doing them, they may be cleansed from their wickednesses, and you too along with them.
Listen to me, children: I reared you up in much simplicity and guilelessness and reverence, through the mercy of the Lord who dropped righteousness upon you, that you might be justified and sanctified from all wickedness and from all crookedness. But you do not wish to cease from your wickedness.
Now therefore listen to me and be at peace among yourselves, and look after one another and help one another, and do not partake of the creatures of God in abundance by yourselves alone, but share also with those who are in need;
for some, from their many foods, bring weakness upon their flesh and harm their flesh; while the flesh of those who have no food is harmed because they do not have sufficient nourishment, and their body is destroyed.
Look to the judgment that is coming. You who are well-off, then, seek out the hungry while the tower is not yet finished; for after the tower is finished you will wish to do good, and you will have no place.
Take heed, then, you who exult in your wealth, lest those in need groan, and their groaning go up to the Lord, and you be shut out, with your good things, outside the door of the tower.
Now therefore I say to you who lead the Church and to those who occupy the chief seats: Do not become like the sorcerers. The sorcerers carry their drugs in boxes, but you carry your drug and poison in your heart.
You are hardened and do not wish to cleanse your hearts and to blend your minds together in a pure heart, that you may obtain mercy from the great King.
How is it that you wish to discipline the elect of the Lord, while you yourselves have no discipline? Discipline one another, then, and be at peace among yourselves, so that I too, standing cheerfully before the Father, may give account on behalf of you all to the Lord.
When she had finished speaking with me, the six young men who were building came and carried her off to the tower, and four others lifted the couch and carried it too to the tower. I did not see their faces, because they were turned away.
As she was going away I asked her to reveal to me concerning the three forms in which she had appeared to me. Answering me she said: Concerning these you must ask another, that it may be revealed to you.
But in the second vision she had a younger countenance, but her flesh and hair were elderly, and she spoke to me standing; and she was more cheerful than before.
But in the third vision she was wholly younger and most exceedingly beautiful, and only her hair was elderly; she was utterly cheerful and seated upon a couch.
Concerning these I was very deeply grieved, longing to know this revelation; and I saw the elderly woman in a vision of the night saying to me: Every request needs humility. Fast, then, and you shall receive what you ask from the Lord.
So I fasted one day, and that very night a young man appeared to me and said to me: Why do you keep asking for revelations in your prayer? Take care lest by asking many things you harm your flesh.
Answering him I said: Lord, this alone I ask, concerning the three forms of the elderly woman, that the revelation may be made complete. Answering me he said: How long will you all be without understanding? But your double-mindedness makes you without understanding, and the fact that your heart is not toward the Lord.
In the first vision, why did she appear to you elderly and seated in a chair? Because your spirit was elderly and already withered and without power because of your weaknesses and double-mindednesses;
for just as the elderly, no longer having hope of renewal, expect nothing else but their falling asleep, so also you, weakened by worldly affairs, gave yourselves over to listlessness, and did not cast your cares upon the Lord; but your mind was crushed and you grew old in your griefs.
Why then was she seated in a chair? I should like to know, lord. Because every weak person sits in a chair on account of his weakness, that the weakness of his body may be supported. You have the figure of the first vision.
But in the second vision you saw her standing and having a younger countenance and more cheerful than before, but her flesh and hair elderly. Hear, he said, this parable too:
When some elderly person, having already given up on himself because of his weakness and poverty, expects nothing else but the last day of his life; then suddenly an inheritance is left to him, and on hearing it he rouses himself and, becoming overjoyed, puts on strength; and he no longer lies down, but stands up, and his spirit, already corrupted by his former deeds, is renewed, and he no longer sits but plays the man—so also you, having heard the revelation which the Lord revealed to you.
Because he had compassion on you, and renewed your spirits, and you laid aside your weaknesses, and strength came to you and you were empowered in the faith; and the Lord, seeing your strengthening, rejoiced. And for this reason he showed you the building of the tower; and he will show you other things, if you are at peace among yourselves with all your heart.
for as when some good news comes to one who is grieving, immediately he forgets his former griefs and looks for nothing else but the news he heard, and is henceforth strengthened for the good, and his spirit is renewed because of the joy he received—so also you have received a renewal of your spirits by seeing these good things.
And that you saw her seated upon a couch—the position is strong, because the couch has four feet and stands firmly; for the world too is held together by four elements.
Those, then, who have repented completely shall be young and firmly founded, those who have repented with all their heart. You have the revelation complete; ask nothing further about revelation, but if anything is needed, it shall be revealed to you.