12 As soon as they were departed,
and we were alone, she said unto me;
sit here. I answered her; Lady,
let those who are elder sit first.
She replied, Sit down as I bid you.
13 And when I would have sat
on the right side, she suffered me
not, but made a sign to me with
her hand, that I should sit on the
left.
14 As I was therefore musing,
and full of sorrow, that she would
not suffer me to sit on the right
side, she said unto me, Hermas,
why art thou sad?
15 The place which is on the
right hand is theirs who have
already attained unto God, and have
suffered for his name-sake. But
there is yet a great deal remaining
unto thee, before thou canst sit
with them.
16 But continue as thou doest,
in thy sincerity, and thou shalt sit
with them; as all others shall,
who do their works, and shall bear
what they have borne.
17 I said to her; Lady, I would
know what it is that they have
suffered? Hear then, said she:
wild beasts, scourgings,
imprisonments, and crosses
for his name-sake.
18 For this cause the right hand
of holiness belongs to them, and
to all others as many as shall
suffer for the name of God; but
the left belongs to the rest.
19 Howbeit the gifts and the
promises belong to both, to them
on the right, and to those on the
left hand; only that sitting on the
right hand they have some glory
above the others.
20 But thou art desirous to sit
on the right hand with them, and
yet thy defects are many. But
thou shalt be purged from thy
defects, as also all who doubt not
shall be cleansed from all the sins
which they have committed unto
this day.
21 And when she had said this
she would have departed.