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Mandate 6 Chapter 1
1 Ἐνετειλάμην σοι, φησίν, ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἐντολῇ, ἵνα φυλάξῃς τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὸν φόβον καὶ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν.

Ναί, φημί, κύριε.

Ἀλλὰ νῦν θέλω σοι, φησίν, δηλῶσαι καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις αὐτῶν, ἵνα νοήσῃς τίς αὐτῶν τίνα δύναμιν ἔχει καὶ ἐνέργειαν· διπλαῖ γάρ εἰσιν αἱ ἐνέργειαι αὐτῶν· κεῖνται οὖν ἐπὶ δικαίῳ καὶ ἀδίκῳ· 		"'I commanded you,' he says, 'in the first commandment, to guard faith and fear and self-control.'

'Yes, Sir,' I say.

'But now I wish,' he says, 'to make known to you their powers as well, so that you may understand which of them has what power and operation; for their operations are twofold.

They apply, therefore, to the righteous and the unrighteous;
2 σὺ οὖν πίστευε τῷ δικαίῳ, τῷ δὲ ἀδίκῳ μὴ πιστεύσῃς· τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον ὀρθὴν ὁδὸν ἔχει, τὸ δὲ ἄδικον στρεβλήν.

ἀλλὰ σὺ τῇ ὀρθῇ ὁδῷ πορεύου καὶ ὁμαλῇ, τὴν δὲ στρεβλὴν ἔασον. 		so then, put your trust in what is righteous, but do not trust what is unrighteous. For what is righteous has a straight path, but what is unrighteous has a crooked one.

So walk in the straight and smooth path, and leave the crooked one alone.
3 ἡ γὰρ στρεβλὴ ὁδὸς τρίβους οὐκ ἔχει, ἀλλ' ἀνοδίας καὶ προσκόμματα πολλὰ καὶ τραχεῖά ἐστι καὶ ἀκανθώδης.

βλαβερὰ οὖν ἐστι τοῖς ἐν αὐτῇ πορευομένοις. 		For the crooked path has no tracks, but pathless wastes and many stumbling blocks, and is rough and thorny.

It is harmful, therefore, to those who walk in it.
4 οἱ δὲ τῇ ὀρθῇ ὁδῷ πορευόμενοι ὁμαλῶς περιπατοῦσι καὶ ἀπροσκόπως· οὔτε γὰρ τραχεῖά ἐστιν οὔτε ἀκανθώδης.

βλέπεις οὖν ὅτι συμφορώτερόν ἐστι ταύτῃ τῇ ὁδῷ πορεύεσθαι. 		But those who walk in the straight path travel smoothly and without stumbling, for it is neither rough nor thorny.

You see, therefore, that it is more advantageous to walk in this path.'
5 Ἀρέσκει μοι, φημί, κύριε, ταύτῃ τῇ ὁδῷ πορεύεσθαι.

Πορεύσῃ, φησί, καὶ ὃς ἄν ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς κύριον, πορεύσεται ἐν αὐτῇ. 		'It pleases me, Sir,' I say, 'to walk in this path.'

'You shall walk [in it],' says he, 'and whoever turns back to the Lord with all his heart will walk in it.'"
Summary
This passage opens Commandment 6 (Mandatum 6), introducing a major structural transition in the Mandata. The Shepherd steps back to examine the dynamic operations (δυνάμεις and ἐνέργειαι) of the foundational virtues laid down in Mandatum 1 (Faith, Fear, and Self-Control).

To explain moral discernment, the text invokes the ancient Jewish and early Christian doctrine of the Two Ways (Δύο Ὁδοί). Human action and spiritual choices are framed as a choice between two paths: a straight, smooth, unimpeded road (ὀρθὴ καὶ ὁμαλὴ ὁδός) representing righteousness, and a twisted, thorny, obstacle-laden wasteland (στρεβλὴ ὁδός) representing unrighteousness. Walking the straight path requires wholehearted conversion (ἐπιστρέψῃ ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας), which guarantees smooth travel free of spiritual stumbling blocks (ἀπροσκόπως).
Key Themes & Ethical Imagery
 Recapitulation of Mandatum 1: Reconnects the ongoing moral code directly to the triad of primary virtues: πίστις (faith), φόβος (fear), and ἐγκράτεια (self-control).

 The Two Ways Tradition: Direct patristic manifestation of the "Two Ways" motif common to early Jewish-Christian wisdom and catechetical literature (cf. Deuteronomy 30:15–20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:18–19; Matthew 7:13–14; Didache 1–6; Epistle of Barnabas 18–20).

 Spiritual Teleology (διπλαῖ αἱ ἐνέργειαι): Moral choices have inherent, organic consequences. Righteousness leads naturally to stability and peace, whereas unrighteousness produces disorientation, pain, and damage (βλαβερά).
Significant Greek Expressions
 δυνάμεις ... καὶ ἐνέργειαι: "Powers ... and operations [working forces]." Technical language indicating that virtues and vices are not abstract ideas, but active spiritual forces producing tangible outcomes in a person's life.

 ἡ ὀρθὴ ὁδός vs. ἡ στρεβλὴ ὁδός: "The straight path" vs. "the crooked path." The classic metaphorical binary of early Christian ethics. Στρεβλός denotes that which is twisted, warped, or perverted from its true created purpose.

 ἀνοδίας καὶ προσκόμματα: "Pathless wastes and stumbling blocks." Vividly describes the terrain of sin—it lacks established landmarks (τρίβους) and is filled with hazards that cause spiritual collapse.

 περιπατοῦσιν ἀπροσκόπως: "Travel without stumbling." Ἀπρόσκοπος (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:32; Philippians 1:10) highlights the blameless, unhindered life of one walking in accordance with God's commandments.

 ἐπιστρέψῃ ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας: "Turns back / converts with all his heart." Emphasizes that entering the straight path requires a complete reorientation of the will (ἐπιστροφή / conversion).
Mandate 6 Chapter 2
1 Ἄκουε νῦν, φησί, περὶ τῆς πίστεως, δύο εἰσὶν ἄγγελοι μετὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, εἷς τῆς δικαιοσύνης καὶ εἷς τῆς πονηρίας. "'Listen now,' he says, 'concerning faith.

There are two angels with a human being, one of righteousness and one of wickedness.'
2 Πῶς οὖν, φημί, κύριε, γνώσομαι τὰς αὐτῶν ἐνεργείας, ὅτι ἀμφότεροι ἄγγελοι μετ' ἐμοῦ κατοικοῦσιν; 'How then, Sir,' I say, 'shall I know their operations, since both angels dwell with me?'
3 Ἄκουε, φησί, καὶ συνιεῖς αὐτάς.

ὁ μὲν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἄγγελος τρυφερός ἐστι καὶ αἰσχυντηρὸς καὶ πραῢς καὶ ἡσύχιος· ὅταν οὖν οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀναβῇ, εὐθέως λαλεῖ μετὰ σοῦ περὶ δικαιοσύνης, περὶ ἁγνείας, περὶ σεμνότητος καὶ περὶ αὐταρκείας καὶ περὶ παντός ἔργου δικαίου καὶ περὶ πάσης ἀρετῆς ἐνδόξου.

ταῦτα πάντα ὅταν εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀναβῇ, γίνωσκε, ὅτι ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς δικαιοσύνης μετὰ σοῦ ἐστι.

ταῦτα οὖν ἐστι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς δικαιοσύνης.

τούτῳ οὖν πίστευε καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ. 		'Listen,' says he, 'and you will understand them.

The angel of righteousness is delicate and modest and gentle and quiet; whenever, therefore, he ascends into your heart, straightway he speaks with you concerning righteousness, concerning purity, concerning holiness, concerning contentment, and concerning every righteous deed and concerning every glorious virtue.

Whenever all these things ascend into your heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with you.

These, therefore, are the deeds of the angel of righteousness.

Trust him, therefore, and his deeds.
4 ὅρα οὖν καὶ τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς πονηρίας τὰ ἔργα.

πρῶτον πάντων ὀξύχολός ἐστι καὶ πικρὸς καὶ ἄφρων, καὶ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά, καταστρεφοντα τοὺς δούλους τοῦ θεοῦ· ὅταν οὖν οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀναβῇ, γνῶθι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ. 		Look also at the deeds of the angel of wickedness.

First of all, he is quick-tempered and bitter and foolish, and his deeds are evil, overthrowing the servants of God; whenever, therefore, he ascends into your heart, know him from his deeds.'
5 Πῶς, φημί, κύριε, νοήσω αὐτόν, οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι.

Ἄκουε, φησίν.

ὅταν ὀξυχολία Σοὶ τις προσπέσῃ ἢ πικρία, γίνωσκε, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν Σοὶ· εἶτα ἐπιθυμία πράξεων πολλῶν καὶ πολυτέλειαι ἐδεσμάτων πολλῶν καὶ μεθυσμάτων καὶ κραιπαλῶν πολλῶν καὶ ποικίλων τρυφῶν καὶ οὐ δεόντων καὶ ἐπιθυμίαι γυναικῶν καὶ πλεονεξιῶν καὶ ὑπερηφανία πολλή τις καὶ ἀλαζονεία καὶ ὅσα τούτοις παραπλήσιά ἐστι καὶ ὅμοια.

ταῦτα οὖν ὅταν ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀναβῇ, γίνωσκε, ὅτι ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς πονηρίας ἐστὶν ἐν Σοὶ. 		'How, Sir,' I say, 'I shall perceive him, I do not understand.'

'Listen,' says he.

'Whenever some quick-temper or bitterness falls upon you, know that he is in you; then a desire for many activities, and extravagance in many foods and strong drinks and surfeiting and many varied and improper dainties, and desires for women, and greed, and a certain excessive pride, and boastfulness, and as many things as are related and similar to these—whenever these things ascend into your heart, know that the angel of wickedness is in you.
6 σὺ οὖν ἐπιγνοὺς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἀπόστα ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, μηδὲν αὐτῷ πίστευε, ὅτι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά εἰσι καὶ ἀσύμφορα τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ.

ἔχεις οὖν ἀμφοτέρων τῶν ἀγγέλων τὰς ἐνεργείας· σύνιε αὐτὰς καὶ πίστευε τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης· 		You, therefore, recognizing his deeds, depart from him, and do not trust him at all, because his deeds are evil and disadvantageous to the servants of God.

You have, therefore, the operations of both angels; understand them and trust the angel of righteousness.
7 ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς πονηρίας ἀπόστηθι, ὅτι ἡ διδαχὴ αὐτοῦ πονηρά ἐστι παντὶ ἔργῳ· ἐὰν γὰρ ᾖ τις πιστὸς ἀνήρ καὶ ἡ ἐνθύμησις τοῦ ἀγγέλου τούτου ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, δεῖ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον ἢ τὴν γυναῖκα ἐξαμαρτῆσαί τι. But depart from the angel of wickedness, because his teaching is evil in every deed; for even if a man be faithful, and the thought of this angel ascends into his heart, that man or woman must needs commit some sin.
8 ἐὰν δὲ πάλιν πονηρότατός τις ᾖ ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνή καὶ ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς δικαιοσύνης, ἐξ ἀνάγκης δεῖ αὐτὸν ἀγαθόν τι ποιῆσαι. If, on the other hand, a man or woman be exceedingly evil, and the deeds of the angel of righteousness ascend into his heart, out of necessity he must do something good.
9 βλέπεις οὖν, φησίν, ὅτι καλόν ἐστι τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀκολουθεῖν, τῷ δὲ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς πονηρίας ἀποτάξασθαι. You see, therefore,' says he, 'that it is good to follow the angel of righteousness, but to renounce the angel of wickedness.
10 τὰ μὲν περὶ τῆς πίστεως αὕτη ἡ ἐντολὴ δηλοῖ, ἵνα τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς δικαιοσύνης πιστεύσῃς, καὶ ἐργασάμενος αὐτὰ ζήσῃ τῷ θεῷ.

πίστευε δὲ ὅτι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς πονηρίας χαλεπά ἐστι· μὴ ἐργαζόμενος οὖν αὐτὰ ζήσῃ τῷ θεῷ. 		This commandment reveals the things concerning faith, so that you may trust the deeds of the angel of righteousness, and having worked them, you will live to God.

And believe that the deeds of the angel of wickedness are difficult [grievous]; by not working them, therefore, you will live to God.'"
Summary
This famous text presents Commandment 6.2 (Mandatum 6.2), introducing one of the most prominent pneumatological and demonological frameworks of early Christian literature: the doctrine of the Two Angels (δύο ἄγγελοι).

Building upon the "Two Ways" motif from Mandatum 6.1, the Shepherd explains that every human being is accompanied internally by two distinct spiritual forces—the Angel of Righteousness (ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς δικαιοσύνης) and the Angel of Wickedness (ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς πονηρίας). Discernment of spirits (διάκρισις πνευμάτων) is achieved not through external signs, but by evaluating the internal movements of the heart (ἐνθυμήσεις / ἀναβαίνει ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν).

The Shepherd provides concrete moral criteria for identifying which angel is active:

The Angel of Righteousness prompts quiet, gentle thoughts focused on purity, contentment, and virtue.

The Angel of Wickedness instigates sudden bouts of rage (ὀξυχολία), bitterness, gluttony, sexual lust, materialism (πλεονεξία), and pride.

The passage concludes with a psychological observation on spiritual influence: even a devout Christian will commit sin if they entertain the suggestions of the evil angel, whereas even a deeply depraved sinner will do good if they yield to the inspiration of the angel of righteousness.
Key Themes & Patristic Parallels
 The Two Angels Doctrine: This passage is the clearest early Christian articulation of guardian/inspiring angels opposed by internal evil spirits, drawing directly on Jewish intertestamental traditions (such as the Community Rule [1QS] from Qumran regarding the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Perversion). It directly influenced later monastic discernment literature (e.g., Origen, Athanasius's Life of Antony, and Evagrius Ponticus).

 Moral Discernment via Internal Fruits: Emphasizes that spiritual entities reveal their identity exclusively through their moral fruit in the human heart, anticipating Ignatius of Loyola's rules for the discernment of spirits.

 Sensory Qualities of the Good Spirit: The Holy/Righteous Angel is characterized as τρυφερός (delicate), αἰσχυντηρός (modest), πραΰς (gentle), and ἡσύχιος (quiet)—a calm, gentle presence that never forces itself aggressively.
Significant Greek Expressions
 δύο εἰσὶν ἄγγελοι μετὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου: "There are two angels with a human being." The foundational thesis of Mandatum 6.2, establishing a dualistic framework of internal spiritual influence.

 τρυφερὸς ... αἰσχυντηρὸς καὶ πραῢς καὶ ἡσύχιος: "Delicate ... modest and gentle and quiet." The classic patristic list of attributes describing the peaceful nature of divine inspiration.

 αὐταρκείας: "Contentment / self-sufficiency." A key Stoic and Hellenistic ethical term adopted by early Christianity (cf. 1 Tim 6:6; Phil 4:11), denoting inner freedom from greedy cravings.

 κραιπαλῶν: "Surfeiting / drunken hangovers." Refers to the physical and mental sluggishness caused by excessive eating and drinking (cf. Luke 21:34).

 ἀποτάξασθαι: "To renounce / bid farewell to." A strong military and baptismal term used here for making a decisive break with the evil angel (ἀποτάξασθαι τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς πονηρίας), prefiguring the early baptismal liturgy of renouncing Satan.

Hermas: The Shepherd
Book Two
Mandates or Commandments