Shepherd of Hermas: Mandates 7

1_On fearing God, and not fearing the devil._ “Fear,” said he, “the Lord, and keep His commandments. For if you keep the commandments of God, you will be powerful in every action, and every one of your actions will be incomparable. For, fearing the Lord, you will do all things well. This is the fear which you ought to have, that you may be saved. But fear not the devil; for, fearing the Lord, you will have dominion over the devil, for there is no power in him. But he in whom there is no power ought on no account to be an object of fear; but He in whom there is glorious power is truly to be feared. For every one that has power ought to be feared; but he who has not power is despised by all. Fear, therefore, the deeds of the devil, since they are wicked. For, fearing the Lord, you will not do these deeds, but will refrain from them. For fears are of two kinds: for if you do not wish to do that which is evil, fear the Lord, and you will not do it; but, again, if you wish to do that which is good, fear the Lord, and you will do it. Wherefore the fear of the Lord is strong, and great, and glorious. Fear, then, the Lord, and you will live to Him, and as many as fear Him and keep His commandments will live to God.” “Why,” said I, “sir, did you say in regard to those that keep His commandments, that they will live to God?” “Because,” says he, “all creation fears the Lord, but all creation does not keep His commandments. They only who fear the Lord and keep His commandments have life with God; but as to those who keep not His commandments, there is no life in them.”

ἜἘντολὴ ζ΄. Φοβήθητι, φησί, τὸν Κύριον καὶ φύλασσε τὰς ἐντολὰς εἴ. Eccles. αὐτοῦ: φυλάσσων οὖν τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔσῃ δυνατὸς ἐν '* πάσῃ πράξει, καὶ ἡ πρᾶξίς σου ἀσύγκριτος ὄσται. φοβού- μενος γὰρ τὸν Κύριον πάντα καλῶς ἐργάσῃ" οὗτος δέ ἐστιν ὃ φόβος, ὃν δεῖ σε φοβηθῆναι καὶ σωθήσῃ. τὸν δὲ διά- βολον μὴ φοβηθῇς: φοβούμενος γὰρ τὸν Κύριον κατακυ- ριεεύσεις τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅτι δύναμις ἐν αὐτῷ ove ὄστιν. ἐν ᾧ [δὲ] δύναμες οὐκ ἔστιν, οὐδὲ φόβος" ἐν ᾧ δὲ δύναμις ἦ ἔνδοξος, καὶ φόβος ἐν αὐτῷ. πᾶς γὰρ ὁ δύναμιν ὄχων φόβον ἔχει" ὁ δὲ μὴ ἔχων δύναμιν ὑπὸ πάντων καταφρονεῖταε. φοβή- θητι δὲ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅτι πονηρά ἐστι. φοβούμενος οὖν τὸν Κύριον φοβηθήσῃ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου, καὶ οὐκ ἐργάσῃ αὐτά, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφέξῃ dx’ αὐτῶν. δισσοὶ οὖν εἰσὶν οἱ φόβοι: ἐὰν γὰρ θέλῃς τὸ πονηρὸν ἐργάσασθαι, φοβοῦ τὸν Κύριον καὶ οὐκ ἐργάσῃ αὐτό; ἐὰν δὲ θέλῃς πάλεν τὸ ὠγαθὸν ἐργάσασθαι, φοβοῦ τὸν Κύριον καὶ ἐργάσῃ αὐτό. ὥστε ὃ φόβος τοῦ Κυρίου ἰσχυρός ἐστι καὶ μέγας καὶ ὄνδοξος. φοβήθητι οὖν τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ζήσῃ αὐτῷ καὶ boos ἂν φοβηθῶσιν αὐτὸν τῶν φυλασσόντων τὼς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ζήσονται τῷ Θεῷ. Διατί, φημί, κύριε, εἶπας περὶ τῶν τηρούντων τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ Ζήσονται τῷ Θεῷ; “Ors, φησί, πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις φοβεῖται τὸν Κύριον, τὰς δὲ ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ οὐ φυλάσσει. τῶν οὖν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν καὶ φυλασ- σόντων τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ἐκείνων ἡ ζωή ἐστε παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ; τῶν δὲ μὴ φυλασσόντων τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ ζωὴ ἐν αὐτῷ,