Pastor de Hermas 90

1“E a torre,” perguntei, “que significa?” “Esta torre,” respondeu, “é a igreja.” “E estas virgens, quem são?” “São espíritos santos, e os homens não podem de outro modo ser achados no reino de Deus a menos que estas lhes tenham posto a sua vestimenta: pois se receberes apenas o nome e não receberes delas a vestimenta, de nada te servem. Pois estas virgens são os poderes do Filho de Deus. Se levares o seu nome mas não possuíres o seu poder, será em vão que levas o seu nome.

1“And the tower,” I asked, “what does it mean?” “This tower,” he replied, “is the church.” “And these virgins, who are they?” “They are holy spirits, and men cannot otherwise be found in the kingdom of God unless these have put their clothing upon them: for if you receive the name only, and do not receive from them the clothing, they are of no advantage to you. For these virgins are the powers of the Son of God. If you bear His name but possess not His power, it will be in vain that you bear His name.

2Aquelas pedras,” continuou, “que viste rejeitadas levavam o seu nome, mas não vestiram a vestimenta das virgens.” “De que natureza é a sua vestimenta, senhor?” perguntei. “Os seus próprios nomes,” disse, “são a sua vestimenta. Todo aquele que leva o nome do Filho de Deus deve levar também os nomes destas; pois o próprio Filho leva os nomes destas virgens.

2Those stones,” he continued, “which you saw rejected bore His name, but did not put on the clothing of the virgins.” “Of what nature is their clothing, sir?” I asked. “Their very names,” he said, “are their clothing. Every one who bears the name of the Son of God, ought to bear the names also of these; for the Son Himself bears the names of these virgins.

3Quantas pedras,” continuou, “viste [entrar na construção da torre pelas mãos] destas virgens e permanecer, foram revestidas da sua força. Por isso vês que a torre se tornou uma só pedra com a rocha. Assim também os que creram no Senhor por meio do seu Filho e estão revestidos destes espíritos tornar-se-ão um só espírito, um só corpo, e a cor das suas vestes será uma só.

3As many stones,” he continued, “as you saw [come into the building of the tower through the hands] of these virgins, and remaining, have been clothed with their strength. For this reason you see that the tower became of one stone with the rock. So also they who have believed on the Lord through His Son, and are clothed with these spirits, shall become one spirit, one body, and the colour of their garments shall be one.

4E a morada dos que levam os nomes das virgens está na torre.” “Aquelas pedras, senhor, que foram rejeitadas,” indaguei, “por que motivo foram rejeitadas? pois passaram pela porta e foram postas pelas mãos das virgens na construção da torre.” “Já que te interessas por tudo,” respondeu, “e examinas minuciosamente, ouve a respeito das pedras que foram rejeitadas. Estas todas,” disse, “receberam o nome de Deus e receberam também a força destas virgens.

4And the dwelling of such as bear the names of the virgins is in the tower.” “Those stones, sir, that were rejected,” I inquired, “on what account were they rejected? for they passed through the gate, and were placed by the hands of the virgins in the building of the tower.” “Since you take an interest in everything,” he replied, “and examine minutely, hear about the stones that were rejected. These all,” he said, “received the name of God, and they received also the strength of these virgins.

5Tendo recebido, pois, estes espíritos, fortaleceram-se e estavam com os servos de Deus; e deles era um só espírito, e um só corpo, e uma só vestimenta. Pois eram do mesmo parecer e operavam a justiça. Depois de certo tempo, porém, foram persuadidos pelas mulheres que viste vestidas de negro, com os ombros descobertos e os cabelos desgrenhados, e belas de aparência.

5Having received, then, these spirits, they were made strong, and were with the servants of God; and theirs was one spirit, and one body, and one clothing. For they were of the same mind, and wrought righteousness. After a certain time, however, they were persuaded by the women whom you saw clothed in black, and having their shoulders exposed and their hair dishevelled, and beautiful in appearance.

6Tendo visto estas mulheres, desejaram tê-las e revestiram-se da sua força e despiram a força das virgens. Estes, portanto, foram rejeitados da casa de Deus e foram entregues a estas mulheres. Mas os que não foram enganados pela beleza destas mulheres permaneceram na casa de Deus. Tens,” disse, “a explicação dos que foram rejeitados.”

6Having seen these women, they desired to have them, and clothed themselves with their strength, and put off the strength of the virgins. These, accordingly, were rejected from the house of God, and were given over to these women. But they who were not deceived by the beauty of these women remained in the house of God. You have,” he said, “the explanation of those who were rejected.”