Hermas, Shepherd, Parable 1
He tells me, "You know that you are living here as foreigners, you servants of God, because your true city is far from this one. Since you know the city where you are going to live, why are you preparing fields, expensive arrays, buildings, and useless houses here? The one who prepares such things for this city cannot return to his own."
"You foolish, double-minded, wretched man! Do you not understand that all these things are alien and under another's power? The Lord of this city will say, 'I do not want you to dwell in my city; go out, because you do not follow my laws.' So you, having fields, houses, and many other possessions — when he casts you out, what will you do with your field, your house, and everything else you prepared for yourself?
For the Lord of this land says to you justly: 'Either follow my laws or leave my land.' So what will you do, since you have a law in your own city? On account of your fields and your other possessions, will you certainly deny your law and follow the law of this city? Watch out — it is unprofitable to deny your law. If you wish to return to your city, you will not be received, because you denied the law of your city, and you will be shut out.
Therefore, while you dwell as a foreigner, do not prepare anything more for yourself except what is sufficient, and be ready. Then when the Master of this city wants to cast you out for opposing his law, you can leave his city, go to your own, and use your law freely and joyfully.
So then, you who serve the Lord and have him in your heart: do the works of God, remembering his commands and the promises he made. Trust him that he will fulfill them, if his commands are kept. Instead of fields, buy afflicted souls, as each of you is able. Visit widows and orphans and do not overlook them. Spend your wealth and all your arrays on such fields and houses — the ones you received from God.
For the Master enriched you for this very purpose: to carry out these services for him. It is far better to buy such fields, possessions, and houses, which you will find in your city when you sojourn there. This luxury is good and holy; it has no grief or fear, but joy. So do not practice the luxury of the nations — it is unprofitable for you, servants of God. Practice your own luxury, the kind in which you can rejoice. Do not go beyond it, do not touch what belongs to another, and do not desire it — for it is evil to desire what is another's. Do your own work, and you will be saved.
Greek
Λέγει μοι: Οἴδατε, φησίν, ὅτι ἐπὶ ξένης κατοικεῖτε ὑμεῖς οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ θεοῦ: ἡ γὰρ πόλις ὑμῶν μακράν ἐστιν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης: εἰ οὖν οἴδατε, φησί, τὴν πόλιν ὑμῶν, ἐν ᾗ μέλλετε κατοικεῖν, τί ὧδε ὑμεῖς ἑτοιμάζετε ἀγροὺς καὶ παρατάξεις πολυτελεῖς καὶ οἰκοδομὰς καὶ οἰκήματα μάταια; ταῦτα οὖν ὁ ἑτοιμάζων εἰς ταύτην τὴν πόλιν οὐ δύναται ἐπανακάμψαι εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν. ἄφρον καὶ δίψυχε καὶ ταλαίπωρε ἄνθρωπε, οὐ νοεῖς, ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα ἀλλότριά εἰσι καὶ ὑπ’ ἐξουσίαν ἑτέρου εἰσίν; ἐρεῖ γὰρ ὁ κύριος τῆς πόλεως ταύτης: Οὐ θέλω σε κατοικεῖν εἰς τὴν πόλιν μου, ἀλλ’ ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης, ὅτι τοῖς νόμοις μου οὐ χρᾶσαι. σὺ οὖν ἔχων ἀγροὺς καὶ οἰκήσεις καὶ ἑτέρας ὑπάρξεις πολλάς, ἐκβαλλόμενος ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ τί ποιήσεις σου τὸν ἀγρὸν καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ τὰ λοιπά, ὅσα ἡτοίμασας σεαυτῷ; λέγει γάρ σοι δικαίως ὁ κύριος τῆς χώρας ταύτης: Ἢ τοῖς νόμοις μου χρῶ ἢ ἐκχώρει ἐκ τῆς χώρας μου. σὺ οὖν τί μέλλεις ποιεῖν, ἔχων νόμον ἐν τῇ σῇ πόλει; ἕνεκεν τῶν ἀγρῶν σου καὶ τῆς λοιπῆς ὑπάρξεως τὸν νόμον σου πάντως ἀπαρνήσῃ καὶ πορεύσῃ τῷ νόμῳ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης; βλέπε, μὴ ἀσύμφορόν ἐστιν ἀπαρνῆσαι τὸν νόμον σου: ἐὰν γὰρ ἐπανακάμψαι θελήσῃς εἰς τὴν πόλιν σου, οὐ μὴ παραδεχθήσῃ, ὅτι ἀπηρνήσω τὸν νόμον τῆς πόλεώς σου, καὶ ἐκκλεισθήσῃ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς. βλέπε οὖν σύ: ὡς ἐπὶ ξένης κατοικῶν μηδὲν πλέον ἑτοίμαζε σεαυτῷ εἰ μὴ τὴν αὐτάρκειαν τὴν ἀρκετήν σοι, καὶ ἕτοιμος γίνου, ἵνα, ὅταν θέλῃ ὁ δεσπότης τῆς πόλεως ταύτης ἐκβαλεῖν σε ἀντιταξάμενον τῷ νόμῳ αὐτοῦ, ἐξέλθῃς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέλθῃς ἐν τῇ πόλει σου καὶ τῷ σῷ νόμῳ χρήσῃ ἀνυβρίστως ἀγαλλιώμενος. βλέπετε οὖν ὑμεῖς οἱ δουλεύοντες τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἔχοντες αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν καρδίαν: ἐργάζεσθε τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ μνημονεύοντες τῶν ἐντολῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν ὧν ἐπηγγείλατο, καὶ πιστεύσατε αὐτῷ, ὅτι ποιήσει αὐτάς, ἐὰν αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὐτοῦ φυλαχθῶσιν. ἀντὶ ἀγρῶν οὖν ἀγοράζετε ψυχὰς θλιβομένας, καθά τις δυνατός ἐστι, καὶ χήρας καὶ ὀρφανοὺς ἐπισκέπτεσθε καὶ μὴ παραβλέπετε αὐτούς, καὶ τὸν πλοῦτον ὑμῶν καὶ τὰς παρατάξεις πάσας εἰς τοιούτους ἀγροὺς καὶ οἰκίας δαπανᾶτε, ἃς ἐλάβετε παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ. εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπλούτισεν ὑμᾶς ὁ δεσπότης, ἵνα ταύτας τὰς διακονίας τελέσητε αὐτῷ: πολὺ βέλτιόν ἐστι τοιούτους ἀγροὺς ἀγοράζειν καὶ κτήματα καὶ οἴκους, οὓς εὑρήσεις ἐν τῇ πόλει σου, ὅταν ἐπιδημήσῃς εἰς αὐτήν. αὕτη ἡ πολυτέλεια καλὴ καὶ ἱερά, λύπην μὴ ἔχουσα μηδὲ φόβον, ἔχουσα δὲ χαράν. τὴν οὖν πολυτέλειαν τῶν ἐθνῶν μὴ πράσσετε: ἀσύμφορον γάρ ἐστιν ὑμῖν τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ. τὴν δὲ ἰδίαν πολυτέλειαν πράσσετε, ἐν ᾗ δύνασθε χαρῆναι, καὶ μὴ παραχαράσσετε μηδὲ τοῦ ἀλλοτρίου ἅψησθε μηδὲ ἐπιθυμεῖτε αὐτοῦ: πονηρὸν γάρ ἐστιν ἀλλοτρίων ἐπιθυμεῖν. τὸ δὲ σὸν ἔργον ἐργάζου, καὶ σωθήσῃ.