Hermas, The Shepherd of Hermas, 22.1

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[1] While I was fasting, and sitting on a certain¹ mountain, and thanking the Lord for all that he had done with me, I saw the shepherd sitting by me, and saying: Why have you come here so early? Because, sir, said I, I have a station.²

[2] What, said he, is a station. I am fasting, sir, said I. But, said he, what is this fast, which you are fasting? I am fasting, sir, said I, as I have been accustomed.

[3] You do not know, said he, how to fast to the Lord, and this useless fast which you are fasting to him is not a fast? Why, sir, said I, do you say this? I tell you, said he, that this fast which you think to fast is nothing, but I will teach you what is a fast, acceptable and complete to the Lord. Listen, he said:

[4] God does not wish such a vain fast. For if you thus fast to God you do nothing for righteousness. But fast to God in this way:

[5] do nothing evil in your life, but serve the Lord with a pure heart; keep his commandments, and walk in his ordinances, and let no evil desire arise in your heart, but believe in God, that if you do these things and fear him, and refrain from every wicked act, you shall live to God; and if you do this you will fulfil a great fast and one acceptable to God.

The Shepherd of Hermas. Hermas. . 1913.

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Current edition Perseus

Hermas (English) (Hermas. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913)

Editions (1)

Ποιμὴν First1KGreek (Hermas. The Apostolic Fathers, Vol 2. Lake, Kirsopp, editor. London: William Heinemann; New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1917.) — 22.1 focus

[1] Νηστεύων καὶ καθήμενος εἰς ὄρος τι κα εὐχαριστῶν τῷ κυρίῳ περὶ πάντων ὧν ἐποίησε μετ̓ ἐμοῦ, βλέπω τὸν ποιμένα παρακαθήμενόν μοι καὶ λέγοντα: Τί ὀρθρινὸς ὧδε ἐλήλυθας; Ὅτι, φημί, κύριε, στατίωνα ἔχω.

[2] Τί, φησίν, ἐστὶ στατίων; Νηστεύω, φημί, κύριε. Νηστεία δὲ, φησί, τί ἐστιν αὕτη, ἣν νηστεύετε; Ὡς εἰώθειν, φημί, κύριε, οὕτω νηστεύω.

[3] Οὐκ οἴδατε, φησί, νηστεύειν τῷ κυρίῳ, οὐδέ ἐστιν νηστεία αὕτη ἡ ἀνωφελής, ἣν νηστεύετε αὐτῷ. Διατί, φημί, κύριε, τοῦτο λέγεις; Λέγω σοι, φησίν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη νηστεία, ἣν δοκεῖτε νηστεύειν: ἀλλ̓ ἐγώ σε διδάξω, τί ἐστι νηστεία δεκτὴ καὶ πλήρης τῷ κυρίῳ. ¹ Ἄκουε, φησίν.

[4] ὁ θεὸς οὐ βούλεται τοιαύτην νηστείαν ματαίαν: οὕτω γὰρ νηστεύων τῷ θεῷ οὐδὲν ἐργάσῃ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ. νήστευσον δὲ τῷ θεῷ νηστείαν τοιαύτην:

[5] μηδὲν πονηρεύσῃ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, ἀλλὰ δούλευσον τῷ ² κυρίῳ ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ: τήρησον τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ πορευόμενος ἐν τοὶς προστάγμασιν αὐτοῦ καὶ μηδεμία ἐπιθυμία πονηρὰ ἀναβήτω ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου: πίστευσον δὲ τῷ θεῷ, ὅτι, ἐὰν ταῦτα ἐργάσῃ καὶ φοβηθῇς αὐτὸν καὶ ἐγκρατεύσῃ ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος, ζήσῃ τῷ θεῷ: καὶ ταῦτα ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ, μεγάλην νηστείαν ποιήσεις καὶ δεκτὴν τῷ θεῷ.

Notes on the current edition

The Shepherd of Hermas

1. Fasting

2. Station is not found elsewhere in Greek writers but is used in Latin writers in the sense of a fixed time for fasting (e.g. cf. Tertullian de orat. 19. de jejun. 1, 10, etc.). It is apparently one of the many terms taken from military language

statio de militari exemplo nomen accepit, nam et militia dei sumus

says Tertullian.

Hermas The Shepherd of Hermas 22.1

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