Hermas
Mandate VII
§1.1 Φοβήθητι, φησί, τὸν κύριον καὶ φύλασσε τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ. φυλάσσων οὖν τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ θεοῦ ἔσῃ δυνατὸς ἐν πάσῃ πράξει, καὶ ἡ πρᾶξίς σου ἀσύγκριτος ἔσται. φοβούμενος γὰρ τὸν κύριον πάντα καλῶς ἐργάσῃ: οὗτος δέ ἐστιν ὁ φόβος, ὃν δεῖ σε φοβηθῆναι, καὶ σωθῆναι.
§1.2 τὸν δὲ διάβολον μὴ φοβηθῇς: φοβούμενος γὰρ τὸν κύριον κατακυριεύσεις τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅτι δύναμις ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν. ἐν ᾧ δὲ δύναμις οὐκ ἔστιν, οὐδὲ φόβος: ἐν ᾧ δὲ δύναμις ἡ ἔνδοξος, καὶ φόβος ἐν αὐτῷ. πᾶς γὰρ ὁ δύναμιν ἔχων φόβον ἔχει: ὁ δὲ μὴ ἔχων δύναμιν ὑπὸ πάντων καταφρονεῖται.
§1.3 φοβήθητι δὲ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅτι πονηρά ἐστι. φοβούμενος οὖν τὸν κύριον οὐκ ἐργάσῃ αὐτά, ἀλλ̓ ἀφέξῃ ἀπ̓ αὐτῶν.
§1.4 δισσοὶ οὖν εἰσιν οἱ φόβοι: ἐὰν γὰρ θέλῃς τὸ πονηρὸν ἐργάσασθαι, φοβοῦ τὸν κύριον, καὶ οὐκ ἐργάσῃ αὐτό: ἐὰν δὲ θέλῃς πάλιν τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐργάσασθαι, φοβοῦ τὸν κύριον, καὶ ἐργάσῃ αὐτό. ὥστε ὁ φόβος τοῦ κυρίου ἰσχυρός ἐστι καὶ μέγας καὶ ἔνδοξος. φοβήθητι οὖν τὸν κύριον, καὶ ζήσῃ αὐτῷ: καὶ ὅσοι ἂν φοβηθῶσιν αὐτὸν καὶ τηρήσωσι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ζήσονται τῷ θεῷ.
§1.5 Διατί, φημί, κύριε, εἶπας περὶ τῶν τηρούντων τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ: Ζήσονται τῷ θεῷ; Ὅτι, φησίν, πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις φοβεῖται τὸν κύριον τὰς δὲ ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ οὐ φυλάσσει. τῶν οὖν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν καὶ φυλασσόντων τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ἐκείνων ἡ ζωή ἐστι παρὰ τῷ θεῷ: τῶν δὲ μὴ φυλασσόντων τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ ζωὴ ἐν αὐτῷ.
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Funk 1912
Funk–Bihlmeyer, 1912
The Editor

Kirsopp Lake (1872–1946) was a British-American biblical scholar and textual critic who spent most of his career at Harvard University. A specialist in New Testament manuscripts and early Christian texts, Lake produced the Loeb Classical Library edition of the Apostolic Fathers (2 volumes, 1912–1913). His expertise in early Christian Greek and manuscript traditions made him ideally suited for this work.

About This Edition

Lake's Loeb edition of the Apostolic Fathers presents these early Christian texts — including the letters of Clement, Ignatius, and Polycarp, the Didache, and the Shepherd of Hermas — with facing English translations. The Greek text follows established critical editions. Lake's translations were clear and accessible, bringing these important early Christian documents to a wider English-speaking audience.

Translator

Kirsopp Lake (Loeb Classical Library)

Text Basis

Text based on Funk–Bihlmeyer edition (Die Apostolischen Väter, 1901). Kirsopp Lake translated for the Loeb Classical Library.

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