topHermas: Parables-7 prev next
Parable 7
1 Μετὰ ἡμέρας ὀλίγας εἶδον αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πεδίον τὸ αὐτό, ὅπου καὶ τοὺς ποιμένας ἑωράκειν, καὶ λέγει μοι· Τί ἐπιζητεῖς;

Πάρειμι, φημί, κύριε, ἵνα τὸν ποιμένα τὸν τιμωρητὴν κελεύσῃς ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου μου ἐξελθεῖν, ὅτι λίαν με θλίβει.

Δεῖ σε, φησί, θλιβῆναι· οὕτω γάρ, φησί, προσέταξεν ὁ ἔνδοξος ἄγγελος τὰ περὶ σοῦ· θέλει γάρ σὲ πειρασθῆναι.

Τί γάρ, φημί, κύριε, ἐποίησα οὕτω πονηρόν, ἵνα τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τούτῳ παραδοθῶ; 		"After a few days I saw him in the same plain where I had also seen the shepherds, and he says to me: 'What are you seeking?'

'I am here, Sir, that you may command the punishing shepherd to depart from my house, because he afflicts me exceedingly.'

'It is necessary for you,' says he, 'to be afflicted; for thus,' says he, 'the glorious angel commanded regarding you; for he wishes you to be tested.'

'Why then, Sir,' I say, 'have I done something so evil that I should be handed over to this angel?'
2 Ἄκουε, φησίν· αἱ μὲν ἁμαρτίαι σου πολλαί, ἀλλ' οὐ τοσαῦται, ὥστε τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τούτῳ παραδοθῆναι· ἀλλ' ὁ οἶκός σου μεγάλας ἀνομίας καὶ ἁμαρτίας εἰργάσατο, καὶ παρεπικράνθη ὁ ἔνδοξος ἄγγελος ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτῶν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκέλευσέ σὲ χρόνον τινὰ θλιβῆναι, ἵνα κἀκεῖνοι μετανοήσωσι καὶ καθαρίσωσιν ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ πάσης ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου.

ὅταν οὖν μετανοήσωσι καὶ καθαρισθῶσι, τότε ἀποστήσεται ἀπὸ σοῦ ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς τιμωρίας. 		'Listen,' says he: 'Your sins are indeed many, yet not so many as to be handed over to this angel; rather, your household has worked great lawlessness and sins, and the glorious angel was provoked at their deeds, and on account of this he commanded that you be afflicted for a certain time, so that they also might repent and purify themselves from every desire of this age.

When, therefore, they repent and are purified, then the angel of punishment will depart from you.'
3 λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε, εἰ ἐκεῖνοι τοιαῦτα εἰργάσαντο, ἵνα παραπικρανθῇ ὁ ἔνδοξος ἄγγελος, τί ἐγὼ ἐποίησα;

Ἄλλως, φησίν, οὐ δύνανται ἐκεῖνοι θλιβῆναι, ἐὰν μὴ σὺ ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ οἴκου θλιβῇς· σοῦ γὰρ θλιβομένου ἐξ ἀνάγκης κἀκεῖνοι θλιβήσονται, εὐσταθοῦντος δὲ σοῦ οὐδεμίαν δύνανται θλῖψιν ἔχειν. 		I say to him: 'Sir, if they have done such things so that the glorious angel was provoked, what have I done?'

'Otherwise,' says he, 'they cannot be afflicted unless you, the head of the household, are afflicted; for when you are afflicted, of necessity they also will be afflicted, whereas while you are thriving and stable, they are able to have no affliction.'
4 Ἀλλ' ἰδού, φημί, κύριε, μετανενοήκασιν ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας αὐτῶν.

Οἶδα, φησί, κἀγώ, ὅτι μετανενοήκασιν ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας αὐτῶν· τῶν οὖν μετανοούντων εὐθὺς δοκεῖς τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀφίεσθαι;

οὐ παντελῶς· ἀλλὰ δεῖ τὸν μετανοοῦντα βασανίσαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν καὶ ταπεινοφρονῆσαι ἐν πάσῃ πράξει αὐτοῦ ἰσχυρῶς καὶ θλιβῆναι ἐν πάσαις θλίψεσι ποικίλαις· καὶ ἐὰν ὑπενέγκῃ τὰς θλίψεις τὰς ἐπερχομένας αὐτῷ, πάντως σπλαγχνισθήσεται ὁ τὰ πάντα κτίσας καὶ ἐνδυναμώσας καὶ ἴασίν τινα δώσει αὐτῷ· 		'But behold, Sir,' I say, 'they have repented from their whole heart.'

'I know,' says he, 'also myself, that they have repented from their whole heart; do you think, therefore, that the sins of those who repent are forgiven immediately?

Not at all; rather, it is necessary for the one who repents to torment his own soul and to humble himself powerfully in every deed of his, and to be afflicted in all varied afflictions; and if he endures the afflictions that come upon him, surely He who created all things and empowered them will be moved with compassion and will give some healing to him.
5 καὶ τοῦτο πάντως, ἐὰν ἴδῃ τὴν καρδίαν τοῦ μετανοοῦντος καθαρὰν ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος.

σοί δὲ συμφέρον ἐστὶ καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ σου νῦν θλιβῆναι.

τί δέ σοί πολλὰ λέγω;

θλιβῆναί σὲ δεῖ, καθὼς προσέταξεν ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐκεῖνος, ὁ παραδιδούς σὲ ἐμοί· καὶ τοῦτο εὐχαρίστει τῷ κυρίῳ, ὅτι ἄξιόν σὲ ἡγήσατο τοῦ προδηλῶσαί σοί τὴν θλῖψιν, ἵνα προγνοὺς αὐτὴν ὑπενέγκῃς ἰσχυρῶς. 		And this surely, if He sees the heart of the one who repents pure from every evil deed.

For you and your household, however, it is beneficial to be afflicted now. Yet why do I speak many things to you? It is necessary for you to be afflicted, just as that angel of the Lord commanded who handed you over to me; and give thanks to the Lord for this, that He deemed you worthy to make known to you beforehand the affliction, so that knowing it beforehand you might endure it strongly.'
6 λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε, σὺ μετ' ἐμοῦ γίνου, καὶ δυνήσομαι πᾶσαν θλῖψιν ὑπενεγκεῖν.

Ἐγώ, φησίν, ἔσομαι μετὰ σου· ἐρωτήσω δέ καὶ τὸν ἄγγελον τὸν τιμωρητήν, ἵνα σὲ ἐλαφροτέρως θλίψῃ· ἀλλ' ὀλίγον χρόνον θλιβήσῃ καὶ πάλιν ἀποκατασταθήσῃ εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.

μόνον παράμεινον ταπεινοφρονῶν καὶ λειτουργῶν τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν πάσῃ καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ, καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου, καὶ πορεύου ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς μου αἷς σοί ἐντέλλομαι, καὶ δυνήσεταί σου ἡ μετάνοια ἰσχυρὰ καὶ καθαρὰ εἶναι· 		I say to him: 'Sir, be with me, and I shall be able to endure every affliction.'

'I,' says he, 'will be with you; and I will also ask the punishing angel that he may afflict you more lightly; yet for a little time you will be afflicted and again you will be restored to your house.

Only continue humbling yourself and serving the Lord with an altogether pure heart, both your children and your household, and walk in my commandments which I command you, and your repentance will be able to be strong and pure;
7 καὶ ἐὰν ταύτας φυλάξῃς μετὰ τοῦ οἴκου σου, ἀποστήσεται πᾶσα θλῖψις ἀπὸ σοῦ· καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων δέ, φησίν, ἀποστήσεται θλῖψις.

ὅσοι ἐὰν ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς μου ταύταις πορευθῶσιν. 		And if you keep these things with your household, all affliction will depart from you—and from all, indeed,' says he, 'affliction will depart, as many as walk in these commandments of mine.'""
Summary
This passage comprises the entirety of Parable 7 (Similitudo 7), shifting from the general pastoral observations of Similitudo 6 to Hermas’s personal domestic crisis under the discipline of the Angel of Punishment.

 Corporate Solidarity of the Roman Oikos: Hermas pleads for the removal of the Angel of Punishment (ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ τιμωρητής) from his home. The Shepherd explains that the trial is ordered by the "glorious angel" (ὁ ἔνδοξος ἄγγελος, likely the Angel of Repentance in his supreme judicial capacity or Christ/Michael) not primarily for Hermas’s personal faults, but due to the grave sins of his household (ὁ οἶκός σου). Because Hermas is the head of the house (ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ οἴκου), his family cannot experience corrective discipline unless he himself is afflicted first.

 Non-Instantaneous Forgiveness (Οὐ παντελῶς εὐθύς): When Hermas protests that his family has already repented wholeheartedly (μετανενοήκασιν ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας), the Shepherd delivers a crucial doctrinal clarification: post-baptismal forgiveness is not instantaneous. The penitent must undergo a period of genuine soul-humbling (ταπεινοφρονῆσαι) and endure varied tribulations (θλίψεις ποικίλαι) to prove the purity of their heart before the Creator grants spiritual healing (ἴασις).

 Foreknowledge and Consolation: While refusing to cancel the affliction immediately, the Shepherd promises his personal presence, offers to intercede with the punishing angel to lighten the blow (ἐλαφροτέρως θλίψῃ), and assures Hermas that endurance will lead to full domestic restoration (ἀποκατασταθήσῃ εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου).
Key Themes & Socio-Theological Contributions
 Patriarchal/Household Theology: Reflects the socio-legal structure of the Greco-Roman familia. Moral accountability and spiritual discipline operate corporately; the paterfamilias (κεφαλὴ τοῦ οἴκου) shares directly in the spiritual condition and disciplinary burden of his dependents.

 Penitential Realism: Guards against cheap grace or superficial remorse. True metanoia requires time, patient endurance under trial (ὑπενέγκῃ τὰς θλίψεις), and demonstrated behavioral transformation before divine healing is conferred
Significant Greek Expressions
 ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ τιμωρητής: "The punishing shepherd." Refers back to the stern, goatskin-clad angel of punishment introduced in Similitudo 6.2–3, now actively operating within Hermas’s personal household.

 ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ οἴκου: "The head of the household." Establishes the corporate link whereby the spiritual and material fortunes of the household depend upon its leader.

 εὐθὺς ... τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀφίεσθαι; οὐ παντελῶς: "Are sins forgiven immediately? Not at all." A key formulation in early Christian penitential theology, establishing that post-baptismal penance involves an extended process of purification rather than immediate absolution.

 βασανίσαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν καὶ ταπεινοφρονῆσαι: "To torment/test his own soul and humble himself." Describes the active, self-denying contrition required of the penitent believer alongside external trials.

 ἴασίν τινα δώσει: "Will give some healing." Reaffirms Hermas's recurring therapeutic metaphor of salvation, portraying God as the compassionate Creator who heals the repentant soul once heart-purity is verified.

Hermas: The Shepherd
Book Three
Parables