Shepherd of Hermas 32

1“Be long-suffering,” he says, “and sensible, and you will gain mastery over all wicked deeds and do every work of righteousness. For if you are long-suffering, the holy spirit that dwells in you will be pure, not being darkened by another evil spirit; rather, dwelling in a wide space it will exult and rejoice with the vessel in which it dwells, and it will minister to God with much cheerfulness, having prosperity within itself.

2But if a quick temper comes on, at once the holy spirit—being tender—is cramped, not having a clean place, and it seeks to withdraw from that place; for it is choked by the evil spirit, not having room to minister to the Lord as it desires, being defiled by the quick temper. For in long-suffering the Lord dwells, but in quick temper the devil. Therefore, when both spirits dwell together in one, it is unprofitable and harmful to that person in whom they dwell.

3For if, after taking a little wormwood, you pour it into a jar of honey, does not all the honey perish? So much honey is ruined by the smallest amount of wormwood: it destroys the sweetness of the honey, and it no longer has the same usefulness with its master, because it has been embittered and has lost its use. But if the wormwood is not cast into the honey, the honey is found sweet and becomes serviceable to its master.

4You see, then, that long-suffering is sweeter than honey and is serviceable to the Lord, and he dwells in it; but quick temper is bitter and useless. If, therefore, quick temper is mixed with long-suffering, long-suffering is defiled and is no longer useful to God. Long-suffering at all times has nothing bitter within itself, remaining always gentle and quiet. This long-suffering, then, dwells with those who have the faith complete.

5Quick temper, for its part, is first foolish—flighty and senseless. Then from senselessness comes bitterness; from bitterness, anger; from anger, wrath; and from wrath, rage. Then rage—composed of so many evils—becomes a great and incurable sin.

6For when all these spirits dwell in one vessel, the very vessel in which the holy spirit also dwells, that vessel cannot contain them; it overflows. The tender spirit, having no habit of dwelling with an evil spirit or with harshness, withdraws from such a person and seeks to dwell with gentleness and quiet. Then, when it has departed from that person in whom it dwells, that person becomes empty of the righteous spirit; and thereafter, being filled with evil spirits, he is unstable in all his deeds, dragged here and there by the evil spirits, and is altogether blinded from his good understanding. Thus it happens to all who are quick-tempered.

7Therefore keep away from quick temper—that most wicked spirit—but clothe yourself with long-suffering, and stand against quick temper and bitterness, and you will be found with the dignity that is beloved by the Lord. See to it, then, that you never neglect this command; for if you gain mastery over this command, you will also be able to keep the other commands that I am about to give you. Be strong in them and be empowered[—], and let all be empowered who wish to walk in them.”