The Shepherd of Hermas is a Christian literary work of the late first half of the second century, considered a valuable book by many Christians, and considered canonical scripture by some of the early Church fathers such as Irenaeus. The work is divided into the Book of Visions, the Book of Mandates, and the Book of Similitudes and comprises five visions, twelve mandates, and ten parables (similitudes). It relies on allegory and pays special attention to the Church, calling the faithful to repent of the sins that have harmed it. The Shepherd of Hermas is found in the Codex Sinaiticus, and it is listed between the Acts of the Apostles and the Acts of Paul in the stichometrical list of the Codex Claromontanus.