Shepherd of Hermas — Mandate 9, Chapter 1
Ask Without Doubting, and You Will Receive
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Mandate 9.1.1He says to me, “Remove double-mindedness from yourself, and do not be at all double-minded about asking God for anything, saying within yourself, ‘How can I ask the Lord and receive, when I have sinned so much against Him?’
Mandate 9.1.2“Do not reason this way. Instead, turn to the Lord with your whole heart and ask Him without hesitation, and you will know His great compassion: He will certainly not abandon you, but will fulfill your soul’s request.
Mandate 9.1.3“For God is not like people who hold grudges; He bears no grudge and has compassion on His creation.
Mandate 9.1.4“Cleanse your heart, then, from all the vanities of this age and from the things previously spoken of to you, and ask the Lord. You will receive everything and lack none of your requests, if you ask the Lord without hesitation.
Mandate 9.1.5“But if you hesitate in your heart, you will certainly receive none of your requests. For those who hesitate toward God are the double-minded, and they obtain absolutely none of their requests.
Mandate 9.1.6“But those who are complete in faith ask for everything with confidence in the Lord and receive, because they ask without hesitation, without being double-minded in anything. For every double-minded person will be saved only with difficulty, unless he repents.
Mandate 9.1.7“Cleanse your heart, then, from double-mindedness, and put on faith, because it is strong. Trust God that you will receive all the requests you ask for. And if, after asking the Lord for something, you receive it more slowly, do not become double-minded because you did not quickly receive your soul’s request. For certainly it is because of some trial or some transgression of which you are unaware that you receive your request more slowly.
Mandate 9.1.8“Do not stop asking for your soul’s request, then, and you will receive it. But if you lose heart and become double-minded while asking, blame yourself and not the One who gives to you.
Mandate 9.1.9“Watch this double-mindedness, for it is wicked and senseless and uproots many from faith—even very faithful and strong people. For this double-mindedness is a daughter of the devil and acts very wickedly against God’s servants.
Mandate 9.1.10“Despise double-mindedness, then, and master it in every matter, having put on strong and powerful faith. For faith promises everything and accomplishes everything, but double-mindedness, having no confidence in itself, fails in all the works it undertakes.
Mandate 9.1.11“You see, then,” he says, “that faith is from above, from the Lord, and has great power. But double-mindedness is an earthly spirit from the devil, having no power.
Mandate 9.1.12“Serve faith, therefore, which has power, and keep away from double-mindedness, which has no power, and you will live to God. And all who think in this way will live to God.”
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.