Shepherd of Hermas — Similitude 9, Chapter 19
From the Black Mountain, the Betrayers of the Name
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Similitude 9.19.1“Those who believed from the first mountain, the black one, are like this: apostates, blasphemers against the Lord, and betrayers of God’s servants. For these there is no repentance, but death. For this reason they are black, for their race is lawless.
Similitude 9.19.2Those who believed from the second mountain, the bare one, are like this: hypocrites and teachers of wickedness. These too resemble the former, having no fruit of righteousness. For as their mountain is fruitless, so such people have the name but are empty of faith, and no fruit of truth is in them. Repentance is therefore available to these, if they repent quickly. But if they delay, their death will be with the former.”
Similitude 9.19.3I said, “Why, sir, is repentance available to these, but not to the first? For their deeds are almost the same.” He said, “Repentance is available to these because they did not blaspheme their Lord or become betrayers of God’s servants. Through desire for gain they acted hypocritically, and each taught according to the desires of people who sinned. They will pay a certain penalty, but repentance is available to them because they did not become blasphemers or betrayers.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.