Graphic Bible · Scene 2 of 4

Hands work hot iron with a hammer and tongs.
AI-generated artwork interprets this work's literary visions and teaching, not authenticated historical events or portraits. Source and translation notes preserve the available edition's limits and review uncertainty. Disclosed visual essay: quoted comparison or hymn

Historical Library · Apostolic Fathers
Shepherd of Hermas — Vision 1, section iii

The available POB edition is a partial translation, not a summary or the complete ancient work. Popular, not Scripture. Artwork interprets literary visions and teaching; it does not establish their portrayals as historical events.

Source and translation notes

The text names Hermas as its narrator. The illustrations do not identify a historical author or supply authenticated portraits.

Existing reader manuscript-image reference: Codex Sinaiticus. Working source: Lightfoot & Harmer 1891 (normalized OCR) · Greek

English witness: People's Open Bible provisional English rendering (Cartha Inc. and contributors) · CC BY 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ — for POB project outputs; source editions retain their original licenses

Numbered reading units are modern paragraph divisions, not ancient verse numbers. The available units follow Visions, Mandates, and Similitudes; absent passages are not reconstructed.

  • The available edition begins mid-dialogue and ends mid-sentence in Similitude 8.iv; absent passages are not supplied.
  • Reading paragraph 2 [a]: Repentance and related expressions are read in this works own context; they are not restricted to feeling sorry, and no uniform Godward formula is imposed. Use repentance for moral change while preserving the works own teaching about baptism, forgiveness, conduct and the angel of repentance; do not impose a different tradition on it.

Shepherd of Hermas 3:2

Daily Counsel and the Books of Life

Counsel for the Household and Words of Creation · Shepherd of Hermas 3

Story guide: Visual essay: the blacksmith and blank books interpret the comparison and conditional promise; they are not narrated household events.

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2But the Lord’s abundant compassion has had mercy on you and your household, and he will strengthen you and establish you in his glory. Only do not be slothful, but take heart and strengthen your household. For, as the blacksmith hammering his work masters the thing he intends, so also the righteous word spoken daily prevails over every wickedness. Do not, therefore, cease admonishing your children; for I know that if they repent with their whole heart, they will be written in the books of life with the holy ones.

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