Second Clement: An Ancient Homily · §8 · Anonymous (2 Clement)

Repent while still in the world, as clay in the potter's hand

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The preacher has just warned of the fate of those who corrupt the contest of incorruption, and now urges the congregation to repent while they are still on earth, before the time for repentance passes.

Since we are still on the earth, let us repent. For we are clay in the hand of the craftsman. Think of how a potter works. If a vessel he is making becomes twisted or broken in his hands, he reshapes it. But if he has already put it into the kiln, he can no longer help it. So it is with us. While we are in this world, let us repent from the whole heart of the evil things we have done in the flesh, so that the Lord may save us while we still have time for repentance. For after we have gone out of the world, we can no longer confess there or repent any longer.

So then, brothers, if we do the will of the Father and keep the flesh pure and guard the commandments of the Lord, we will receive eternal life. For the Lord says in the gospel: "If you did not keep what is small, who will give you what is great? For I tell you, the one who is faithful in the least is also faithful in much." This, then, is what he means: keep the flesh pure and the seal spotless, so that we may receive back eternal life.

Greek

Ὡς οὖν ἐσμὲν ἐπὶ γῆς, μετανοήσωμεν.

πηλὸς γάρ ἐσμεν εἰς τὴν χεῖρα τοῦ τεχνίτου: ὃν τρόπον γὰρ ὁ κεραμεύς, ἐὰν ποιῇ σκεῦος καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ διαστραφῇ ἣ συντριβῇ, πάλιν αὐτὸ ἀναπλάσσει, ἐὰν δὲ προφθάσῃ εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρὸς αὐτὸ βαλεῖν, οὐκέτι βοηθήσει αὐτῷ: οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἕως ἐσμὲν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ κόσμῳ, ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ ἃ ἐπράξαμεν πονηρὰ μετανοήσωμεν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας, ἵνα σωθῶμεν ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου, ἕως ἔχομεν καιρὸν μετανοίας.

μετὰ γὰρ τὸ ἐξελθεῖν ἡμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ κόσμον οὐκέτι δυνάμεθα ἐκεῖ ἐξομολογήσασθαι ἢ μετανοεῖν ἔτι.

ὥστε, ἀδελφοί, ποιήσαντες τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τὴν σάρκα ἁγνὴν τηρήσαντες καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ κυρίου φυλάξαντες ληψόμεθα ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

λέγει γὰρ ὁ κύριος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ: Εἰ τὸ μικρὸν οὐκ ἐτηρήσατε, τὸ μέγα τίς ὑμῖν δώσει; λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὁ πιστὸς ἐν ἐλαχίστῳ καὶ ἐν πολλῷ πιστός ἐστιν.

ἆρα οὖν τοῦτο λέγει: τηρήσατε τὴν σάρκα ἁγνὴν καὶ τὴν σφραγῖδα ἄσπιλον, ἵνα τὴν αἰώνιον ζωὴν ἀπολάβωμεν.

About this text

An early Christian sermon by an unknown preacher, long attached to Clement of Rome, calling a congregation to repentance, pure living, and endurance before the coming judgment.

This homily is anonymous. Although later tradition attached it to Clement of Rome, the author does not name himself, and the work is now understood to have been written by an unknown Christian preacher around the early second century. It is addressed to a congregation as 'brothers' and 'brothers and sisters,' and it survives not as a letter but as a sermon, included in some ancient biblical manuscripts and later classified among the Apostolic Fathers.

The preacher wrote to exhort a Christian community to repentance, pure living, and endurance in view of coming judgment. He calls his hearers to think of Christ as God and judge of the living and the dead, and to repay his saving mercy with confession enacted in deeds, not just words. The occasion is a direct appeal for the congregation to heed his written exhortation while there is still time to repent.

A reader will meet Jesus Christ as the main speaker, quoted through sayings introduced by 'the Lord says' or 'he said.' The preacher also quotes the apostle Peter, the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel, and the words of the double-minded, the nations, the faithless at judgment, and the righteous at judgment. The homily quotes the Greek Old Testament, and Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint where it differs from modern English Bibles.

New English from the Greek base text; no published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from Kirsopp Lake, The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1 (London: William Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912) (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.