Shepherd of Hermas 22

1The vision that I saw, brothers, came twenty days after the former vision; it was as a pattern of the tribulation that is coming.

2I was going into the countryside by the Campanian road. It is about ten stadia from the public road, and the place is easy to travel.

3So, walking alone, I was beseeching the Lord to bring to completion the revelations and the visions that he had shown me through his holy Church, so that he would strengthen me and give repentance to his servants who have stumbled, in order that his great and glorious name might be glorified, because he counted me worthy to show me his wonders.

4And while I was glorifying and giving thanks to him, something like the sound of a voice answered me: “Do not be double-minded, Hermas.” I began to reason within myself and say, “What do I have to be double-minded about, being so firmly established by the Lord and having seen glorious things?”

5I went on a little, brothers, and behold, I see dust rising as if to the sky, and I began to say within myself, “Perhaps cattle are coming and stirring up dust?” For it was about a stadion away from me.

6As the dust grew greater and greater, I supposed it was something divine. The sun shone out a little, and behold, I see a very great beast, like some sea monster, and from its mouth fiery locusts were coming out. The beast was about a hundred feet in length, and its head was like a jar.

7I began to weep and to ask the Lord that he would deliver me from it. And I remembered the word that I had heard: “Do not be double-minded, Hermas.”

8So then, brothers, having put on the faith of the Lord and having remembered the mighty deeds that he had taught me, I took courage and gave myself over to the beast. Now the beast was coming with such a roar that it could destroy a city.

9I came near it, and that huge sea monster stretched itself out on the ground and did nothing except thrust out its tongue; it did not move at all until I had passed by it.

10The beast had four colors on its head: black, then fiery and blood-red, then golden, then white.