topHermas: Mandates-2 prev next
Mandate 2
1 Λέγει μοι· Ἁπλότητα ἔχε καὶ ἄκακος γίνου, καὶ ἔσῃ ὡς τὰ νήπια τὰ μὴ γινώσκοντα τὴν πονηρίαν τὴν ἀπολλύουσαν τὴν ζωὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. "He says to me: 'Possess simplicity and be guileless, and you will be like infants who do not know the wickedness that destroys human life.
2 πρῶτον μὲν μηδενὸς καταλάλει μηδὲ ἡδέως ἄκουε καταλαλοῦντος· εἰ δὲ μή, καὶ σὺ ὁ ἀκούων ἔνοχος ἔσῃ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ καταλαλοῦντος, ἐὰν πιστεύσῃς τῇ καταλαλιᾷ ᾗ ἄν ἀκούσῃς· πιστεύσας γὰρ καὶ σὺ αὐτὸς ἕξεις κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου· οὕτως οὖν ἔνοχος ἔσῃ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ καταλαλοῦντος. First of all, speak evil of no one, nor listen gladly to anyone speaking evil; otherwise, you who listen will also be guilty of the sin of the one speaking evil, if you believe the slander which you hear.

For by believing, you yourself also will hold a grudge against your brother; thus, therefore, you will be guilty of the sin of the one speaking evil.
3 πονηρὰ ἡ καταλαλιά· ἀκατάστατον δαιμόνιόν ἐστιν, μηδέποτε εἰρηνεῦον, ἀλλὰ πάντοτε ἐν διχοστασίαις κατοικοῦν.

ἀπέχου οὖν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ εὐθηνίαν πάντοτε ἕξεις μετὰ πάντων. 		Slander is evil; it is a restless demon, never at peace, but always dwelling in dissensions.

Abstain from it, therefore, and you will always have prosperity with everyone.
4 ἔνδυσαι δὲ τὴν σεμνότητα, ἐν ᾗ οὐδὲν πρόσκομμά ἐστιν πονηρόν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὁμαλὰ καὶ ἱλαρά.

ἐργάζου τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἐκ τῶν κόπων σου ὧν ὁ θεὸς δίδωσίν σοί πᾶσιν ὑστερουμένοις δίδου ἁπλῶς, μὴ διστάζων, τίνι δῷς ἢ τίνι μὴ δῷς.

πᾶσιν δίδου· πᾶσιν γάρ ὁ θεὸς δίδοσθαι θέλει ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων δωρημάτων. 		And put on holiness [or reverence], in which there is no evil stumbling block, but all things are smooth and cheerful.

Work what is good, and from the fruits of your labors which God gives you, give to all who are in need in simplicity, not hesitating [or doubting] to whom you should give or to whom you should not give.

Give to all; for God wishes [gifts] to be given to all from His own bounties.
5 οἱ οὖν λαμβάνοντες ἀποδώσουσιν λόγον τῷ θεῷ, διατί ἔλαβον καὶ εἰς τί· οἱ μὲν γὰρ λαμβάνοντες θλιβόμενοι οὐ δικασθήσονται, οἱ δὲ ἐν ὑποκρίσει λαμβάνοντες τίσουσιν δίκην. Those, therefore, who receive will render an account to God as to why they received and for what purpose; for those who receive because they are in distress will not be judged, but those who receive in hypocrisy [by false pretence] will pay the penalty.
6 ὁ οὖν διδοὺς ἀθῷός ἐστιν· ὡς γὰρ ἔλαβεν παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου τὴν διακονίαν τελέσαι, ἁπλῶς αὐτὴν ἐτέλεσεν, μηθὲν διακρίνων, τίνι δῷ ἢ μὴ δῷ.

ἐγένετο οὖν ἡ διακονία αὕτη ἁπλῶς τελεσθεῖσα ἔνδοξος παρά τῷ θεῷ.

ὁ οὖν οὕτως ἁπλῶς διακονῶν τῷ θεῷ ζήσεται. 		The one who gives, therefore, is guiltless; for just as he received from the Lord the ministry to fulfill, he fulfilled it in simplicity, discriminating nothing as to whom he should give or not give.

This ministry, therefore, having been fulfilled in simplicity, became glorious before God.

The one, therefore, who serves in this way in simplicity will live unto God
7 φύλασσε οὖν τὴν ἐντολὴν ταύτην, ὥς σοί λελάληκα, ἵνα ἡ μετάνοιά σου καὶ ἡ τοῦ οἴκου σου ἐν ἁπλότητι εὑρεθῇ, καὶ ἀκακία καθαρὰ καὶ ἀμίαντος. Keep this commandment, therefore, as I have spoken to you, so that your repentance and that of your household may be found in sincerity, and a pure and unblemished innocence.'"
Summary
This section details the Second Commandment (Mandatum 2), shifting focus to two core manifestations of Christian simplicity (ἁπλότης): refraining from slander (καταλαλιά) and practicing indiscriminate charity (ἐλεημοσύνη).

The Shepherd instructs Hermas to cultivate child-like innocence. The text strictly warns against participating in or even listening to gossip and slander, personifying slander as a disruptive demon. In its place, the believer is commanded to practice unreserved, indiscriminate giving. The giver must not attempt to judge the recipient's worthiness; God alone will judge hypocritical receivers, while the generous giver remains guiltless (ἀθῷος) and earns life with God.
Key Themes & Ethical Exhortations
 Child-Like Innocence: The ideal state of the Christian is to be like infants (ὡς τὰ νήπια), completely unacquainted with destructive malice.

 Complicity in Slander: Listening gladly to slander makes one morally co-responsible for the sin, as it fosters internal resentment against fellow believers.

 Radical, Non-Discriminatory Giving: Generosity must be exercised ἁπλῶς (simply/generously) without suspicion or hesitation (μὴ διστάζων). The giver acts merely as a steward fulfilling a divine service (διακονία).
Significant Greek Expressions
 Ἁπλότητα ... ἄκακος: "Simplicity ... guileless." The two primary virtues paired throughout Hermas to describe single-minded, pure intent free from double-mindedness (διψυχία).

 μηδενὸς καταλάλει: "Speak evil of no one." A strong early Christian prohibition against slander (καταλαλιά), echoing James 4:11 and 1 Peter 2:1.

 ἀκατάστατον δαιμόνιον: "A restless demon." A striking personification of slander, directly parallel to James 3:8, where the tongue is called an "unsettled/restless evil" (ἀκατάστατον κακόν).

 δίδου ἁπλῶς, μὴ διστάζων: "Give in simplicity, not hesitating/doubting." Refers to giving without second-guessing the recipient's motives. The phrase echoes James 1:5 ("God who gives to all generously [ἁπλῶς] and without reproaching") and Romans 12:8.

 οἱ ἐν ὑποκρίσει λαμβάνοντες τίσουσιν δίκην: "Those who receive in hypocrisy will pay the penalty." Balances radical charity with divine accountability: the burden of honesty falls entirely on the receiver, freeing the giver from playing judge.

Hermas: The Shepherd
Book Two
Mandates or Commandments