Shepherd of Hermas 28

1Again he says to me: “Love truth, and let all truth go forth from your mouth, so that the spirit which God has caused to dwell in this flesh may be found true before all people, and thus the Lord who dwells in you will be glorified; for the Lord is true in every word, and there is no falsehood with him.

2Therefore those who lie reject the Lord and become defrauders of the Lord, not handing back to him the deposit that they received. For they received from him a spirit without falsehood. If they return it false, they have defiled the command of the Lord and have become defrauders.

3So when I heard these things, I wept greatly. But seeing me weeping, he says, ‘Why are you weeping?’ ‘Because, sir,’ I say, ‘I do not know whether I can be saved.’ ‘Why?’ he says. ‘For,’ I say, ‘sir, never yet in my life have I spoken a true word, but I have always lived deceitfully with everyone, and I made my lie appear true before all people; and no one ever contradicted me, but my word was believed. How then,’ I say, ‘sir, can I live, having done these things?’

4He says, ‘You are thinking rightly and truly; for it was necessary for you, as a servant of God, to walk in truth, and not to let an evil conscience dwell with the spirit of truth, nor to bring grief upon the holy and true Spirit.’ ‘Never,’ I say, ‘sir, have I heard such words clearly.’

5‘Now then,’ he says, ‘you are hearing; keep them, so that even the former lies that you spoke in your dealings, if these are found true, those also may become credible; for those too can become credible. If you keep these and from now on speak all truth, you will be able to gain life for yourself. And whoever hears this command and abstains from the most evil lie will live to God.’