Lake Apostolic Fathers 2 - Bible Translation

THE SHEPHERD, vis. iii. vii. i-6
road, and err and wander miserably in the rough
ground. 2. And they who are falling into the fire
and are being burnt, these are they who finally
it no longer
' apostatise from the living God ' and
enters into their hearts to repent because of their
licentious lusts, and the crimes which they have
committed. 3. But do you wish to know who are
the others which are falling near the water and cannot
be rolled into the water ? ' These are they who
have heard the Word ' and wish to be baptised ' in
the name of the Lord.' Then, when the purity of
the Truth comes into their recollection they repent
and go again ^ after their evil lusts.' " 4. So she
ended the explanation of the tower. 5. I was still The end of
unabashed and asked her whether really all these stones'''^*'^
stones which have been cast away, and do not fit into
the building of the tower,—whether repentance is
open to them, and they have a place in this tower.
" Repentance," she said, ^'^they have, but they cannot
fit into this tower. 6. But they will fit into
another place much less honourable, and even this
only after they have been tormented and fulfilled
the days of their sins, and for this reason they will
be removed,^ because they shared in the righteous
Word. And then ^ it shall befall them to be removed
from their torments, because of the wickedness of
the deeds which they committed. But if it come
not into their hearts they have no salvation, because
of the hardness of their hearts."
^ I.e. from their punishment.
^ Apparently the meaning is ' Then, i.e. if they repent,' but
the text is obscure, and probably some words have been lost.
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