The Shepherd Of Hermas: A Modern English Translation

Discover one of the most distinctive voices of early Christianity in clear, readable modern English.The Shepherd of Hermas stands apart among the writings of the early Church. Rather than presenting a theological treatise or a collection of letters, Hermas communicates through visions, commandments, dialogue, and extended parables. Its pages address repentance, faith, double-mindedness, wealth, suffering, persecution, moral purity, church discipline, and the responsibility of believers to live faithfully before God.Highly valued by many early Christians, The Shepherd of Hermas provides an important witness to the diversity and development of Christian thought in the generations following the apostles. Its teaching is sometimes strikingly familiar to readers of Scripture and at other times reflects ideas and concerns that developed within the early Christian communities.This Modern English Edition has been prepared especially for pastors, teachers, serious students of Scripture, and readers of early Christian literature who want a text that is accessible without being reduced to a paraphrase.Features of this edition include: - Clear and readable modern English - Careful attention to the surviving Greek manuscripts and papyri - Consultation of the ancient versions where the Greek text is incomplete or uncertain - Comparison with important older English translations - Concise Editorial Notes explaining significant Greek terms, textual difficulties, and translation decisions - Continuous numbering for easier citation, study, and comparison - Preservation of the traditional divisions into Visions, Mandates, and SimilitudesThe goal of this edition is simple: to remove unnecessary barriers created by archaic English while allowing Hermas to speak in his own distinctive voice.For anyone studying the Apostolic Fathers, the development of early Christian thought, or Christianity in the generations immediately following the apostles, The Shepherd of Hermas remains an important and challenging work deserving careful examination.