they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. - 11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; fully described. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and come, the latter end is worse 13 And shall receive the re- with them than the beginning. ward of unrighteousness, as 21 For it had been better for they that count it pleasure to them not to have known the riot in the daytime. Spots way of righteousness, than, they are and blemishes, sport-after they have known it, to ing themselves with their own turn from the holy commanddeceivings while they feast ment delivered unto them. with you; 22 But it is happened unto 14 Having eyes full of adul- them according to the true tery, and that cannot cease proverb, The dog is turned to from sin; beguiling unstable his own vomit again; and, souls: a heart they have ex- The sow that was washed to ercised with covetous prac- her wallowing in the mire. tices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone! astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unright eousness; 16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. CHAPTER III. 1 He assureth them of the certainty of Christ's coming to judgment, against those scorners who dispute against it: 8 warning the godly, for the long patience of God, to hasten their repentance. 10 He describeth also the manner how the world shall be destroyed: 11 exhorting them, from the expectation thereof, to all holiness of life: 15 and again, to think the patience of God to tend to their salvation, as Paul wrote to them in his epistles. 2 That ye may be mindful of 18 For when they speak great the words which were spoken swelling words of vanity, they before by the holy prophets, allure through the lusts of and of the commandment of the flesh, through much wan- us the apostles of the Lord tonness, those that were clean and Saviour: escaped from them who live in error. 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last The day of the II. PETER. Lord described. days scoffers, walking after things shall be dissolved, what their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting all things continue as they unto the coming of the day of were from the beginning of God, wherein the heavens the creation. being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these 9 The Lord is not slack con- things; in which are some cerning his promise, as some things hard to be understood, men count slackness; but is which they that are unlearnlongsuffering to us-ward, noted and unstable wrest, as they willing that any should perish, do also the other Scriptures, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burn ed up. unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for 11 Seeing then that all these ever. Amen. 370 THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF CHAPTER I. JOHN. 1 He describeth the person of Christ, in whom we have eternal life, by a communion with God: 5 to which we must adjoin holiness of life, to testify the truth of that our communion and profession of faith, as also to assure us the forgiveness of our sins by Christ's death. TH HAT which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. CHAPTER II. looked upon, and our hands1 He comforteth them against the sins of have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto infirmity. 3 Rightly to know God is to keep his commandments, 9 to love our brethren, 15 and not to love the world. 18 We must beware of seducers: 20 from whose deceits the godly are safe, preserved by perseverance in faith, and holiness of life. you that eternal life, which MY little children, these was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in 7 But if we walk in the light, him ought himself also so to as he is in the light, we have walk, even as he walked. fellowship one 'with another, 7 Brethren, I write no new and the blood of Jesus Christ commandment unto you, but his Son cleanseth us from all an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. sin. A warning against I. JOHN. false teachers. The old commandment is the the lust of the flesh, and the word which ye have heard lust of the eyes, and the pride from the beginning. of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 18 Little children, it is the 9 He that saith he is in the last time: and as ye have light, and hateth his brother, heard that antichrist shall is in darkness even until now. come, even now are there 10 He that loveth his brother many antichrists; whereby abideth in the light, and there we know that it is the last is none occasion of stumbling time. in him. 19 They went out from us, but 11 But he that hateth his they were not of us; for if brother is in darkness, and they had been of us, they walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 13 I write unto you, fathers, 21 I have not written unto because ye have known him you because ye know not the that is from the beginning. I truth, but because ye know write unto you, young men, it, and that no lie is of the because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the begin- 23 Whosoever denleth the ning. I have written unto Son, the same hath not the you, young men, because ye Father: [but] he that acknowl are strong, and the word of edgeth the Son hath the Father God abideth in you, and ye also. have overcome the wicked one. 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, 24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise God's singular CHAPTER III. that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. love to us. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth is righteous, 27 But the anointing which 28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. CHAPTER III. 1 He declareth the singular love of God towards us, in making us his sons: 3 who therefore ought obediently to keep his commandments, 11 as also brotherly to love one another. BEHOLD, even as he is righteous. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. EHOLD, what manner of 11 For this is the message that love the Father hath be-ye heard from the beginning, stowed upon upon us, that us, that we that we should love one anshould be called the sons of other. God: therefore therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. |