Part 40
CHRIST then having suffered for us in the flesh, be ye also in mind armed for the same conflict: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinning; (2)that he might not spend the remaining space of life in the flesh after human passions, but the divine will. (3)For the time past of life is enough for us to have wrought the will of the heathen, when we walked in all impurities, lewd appetites, excess of wine, revels, drinking-bouts, and abominable idolatries; (4)wherein they think it a strange thing, that you are not running with them into the same gulph of profligacy, spreading every scandalous report of you: (5)who shall give an account to him, who holds himself ready to judge the living and the dead. (6)For to this end was the gospel preached to those that are dead, that they might be judged indeed in the flesh according to the will of men, but live in spirit according to the will of God.
(7)But the end of all things is near: be ye therefore sober-minded, and vigilant in prayers. (8)But above all things have fervent love towards each other: for love will conceal a multitude of faults.
(9)Exercise hospitality one towards another without grudgings. (10)Let every one, according as he hath received a gift, minister it to others, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (11)If any man speak, let it be agreeably to the oracles of God; if any man act as a deacon, let it be from the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.
(12)Beloved, be not amazed at the fiery trial among you which is to bring you to the test, as though something strange happened to you; (13)but as ye share in the sufferings of Christ rejoice, that at the revelation of his glory also ye may hail him with exultations. (14)If ye suffer reproach for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: by them indeed he is blasphemed, but by you he is glorified. (15)Let no one of you then suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or a meddler in other persons' business. (16)But if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him give glory to God on this very account. (17)For now is the time when judgment is commencing at the house of God; and if it begin with us, what will be the end of those who obey not the gospel of God? (18)And if the righteous man is hardly saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (19)Wherefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him in well-doing as to the faithful Creator.
CHAP. V.
THE presbyters among you I exhort, who am a co-presbyter and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory which shall be revealed: (2)feed the flock of God which is among you, exercising your pastoral office not of necessity, but of choice, not for base gain, but with alacrity of mind; (3)not as domineering over your allotted congregations, but as being examples of the flock. (4)And when the arch Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that will never fade away.
(5)In like manner, ye who are younger persons, be in subjection to your elders: but all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed from head to foot with humility: for God sets himself in opposition to the proud, but he giveth grace to the lowly. (6)Humble yourselves therefore beneath the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due season: (7)casting all your anxiety upon him; for he careth for you. (8)Be sober, be vigilant; for your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, prowleth around, seeking whom he may devour: (9)against whom stand fast, firm in the faith, knowing that the very same sufferings are fully endured by the brotherhood which is in the world. (10)But the God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, when ye have suffered a little while, himself perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (11)To him be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.
(12)By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I think, I have written to you a few words, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye are standing fast. (13)She who is co-elect at Babylon, saluteth you, and my son Mark.
(14)Salute one another with a kiss of love. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
THE SECOND GENERAL EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PETER.
CHAP. I.
SIMON Peter, the servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained with us the same precious faith by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: (2)grace unto you and peace be multiplied through the knowledge of God, even Jesus our Lord, (3)as his divine power hath freely given us all things tending to life and godliness, through the acknowledgment of him who hath called us to glory and fortitude: (4)whereby superlatively great and precious promises are freely given to us: that by these ye might become partakers of a divine nature, having fled far away from the corruption that is in the world through inordinate concupiscence.--(5)And for this very purpose employing the greatest diligence, lead up in the train of your faith courage; and with courage intelligence; (6)and with intelligence moderation; and with moderation patience; and with patience piety; (7)and with piety fraternal affection; and with fraternal affection love. (8)For if these things are in your possession, and abounding, they will render you neither inactive nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9)But he that hath no possession of these things, is blind, dim-sighted, sinking into oblivion of his purification from the sins of his former days. (10)Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make sure your calling and election: for by doing these things, ye shall never at any time stumble: (11)but an entrance will thus be richly afforded you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
(12)Wherefore I will not be negligent continually to remind you of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the present truth. (13)Indeed, I think it right, as long as I am in this frail tabernacle, to rouse up your attention by reminding you: (14)knowing that the deposition of this frail tabernacle of mine is hastily approaching, as our Lord Jesus Christ hath made evident to me. (15)I will endeavour then that even after my decease, ye may always have wherewith to preserve the remembrance of these things. (16)For we have not followed artfully devised fables, when we made known to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. (17)For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when such a voice was sent forth to him from the transcendently magnificent glory, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. (18)And this voice we heard coming out of heaven, when we were with him on the holy mountain. (19)And we hold the prophetic word more confirmed, to which ye do well to attend, as to a lamp shining in a dark passage, until the day dawn, and the morning-star arise upon your hearts. (20)Knowing this in the first place, that all scriptural prophecy is not from any man's own suggestions. (21)For prophecy in old time came not by the will of man: but the holy men of God spake under the impulse of the Holy Ghost.
CHAP. II.
BUT there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers also among you, who wickedly introduce damnable heresies, and deny the sovereign Lord who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. (2)And many will go out of the way after their fatal errors; by means of whom the way of truth will be injuriously reviled. (3)And with plausible speeches will they avariciously make gain of you whose condemnation from of old lingereth not, and their perdition doth not slumber. (4)For if God spared not the angels when they sinned, but casting them bound in chains of darkness into hell, delivered them to be kept fast until the judgment; (5)and spared not the old world, but guarded safely Noah the eighth person, the preacher of righteousness, when he brought a deluge on the world of the ungodly: (6)and reducing the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, condemned them to final destruction, making them an example for all who in future should live ungodly; (7)but righteous Lot, afflicted grievously with the infamously impure conduct of those lawless men, he plucked out: (8)for by seeing and hearing, that righteous man whilst sojourning among them, suffered torment day by day in his righteous soul from their lawless doings; (9)the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, but to reserve the wicked unto the day of judgment to be punished: (10)especially such as walk after the flesh in the eager pursuit of defilement, and despise government. Daring, self-sufficient, they tremble not at dignities, railing against them. (11)Whereas the angels, though so much greater in might and power, bring not a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. (12)But these men, as the naturally irrational brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil of the things of which they are ignorant, will perish by their own corruption; (13)receiving the recompence of iniquity, counting daily luxury their pleasure; spots and blemishes, when they feast together with you; riotously indulging in their own delusions: (14)having eyes full of adultery, and insatiable of sin; ensnaring souls of no stability; having a heart practised in all the wiles of covetousness; children for a curse: (15)who forsaking the strait road are gone out of the way, following the path of Balaam the son of Bosor who loved the wages of iniquity. (16)But received a reproof for his peculiar transgression: the dumb ass articulating with a human voice restrained the perverseness of the prophet.
(17)These are fountains without water, clouds driven by a hurricane; for whom the blackness of darkness for ever is reserved. (18)Uttering pompous discourses of inanity, ensnaring by the lusts of the flesh, by lascivious impurities, those who had truly escaped from such as live in a course of delusion. (19)Preaching liberty to them, while they themselves are the slaves of corruption: for by whatever a man is overcome, by that also he is enslaved. (20)For if having escaped from the defilements of the world by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again enveloped by them and overcome, their last deeds are worse than the first. (21)For it had been better for them never to have been acquainted with the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to have turned aside from the holy commandment delivered unto them. (22)But the true proverb is verified in them, The dog hath returned to his own vomit; and the sow which was washed to its wallowing in the mire.
CHAP. III.
THIS second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I rouse up your sincere mind by awakening your recollection (2)to remember the words, that have been spoken aforetime by the holy prophets, and the injunction of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: (3)knowing this principally, that in the last of the days there will come scoffers, walking after their own lewd passions, (4)and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue in the same state as from the beginning of the creation. (5)For this they chuse to keep out of sight, that by the word of God the heavens were created of old, and the earth rising out of the water and subsisting amidst the water; (6)whence the world then existing, being deluged by water, was destroyed; (7)but the present heavens and earth by the same word are treasured up, reserved for fire at the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
(8)But let not this particular be concealed from you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (9)The Lord doth not delay the promise (as some count it delay); but is longsuffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should have space for repentance. (10)But the day of the Lord will come as a thief by night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a rushing noise, and the first principles of matter in flames dissolve, and the earth and all the works upon it be burnt up. (11)Seeing then that all these things must be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in a course of holy conduct and acts of piety, (12)expecting and hastening towards the coming of God's day, at which the heavens on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements in flames be melted as wax? (13)But we expect according to his promise new heavens and a new earth in which dwelleth righteousness. (14)Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye are expecting these things, be diligent to be found of him in peace, spotless and blameless. (15)And account the long suffering of our Lord conducive to salvation; as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, hath written unto you; (16)as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, of which some are difficult to be understood, which the uninstructed and the unstable torture, as indeed they do the rest of the scriptures unto their own destruction. (17)Ye therefore, beloved, knowing this before, be on your guard, that ye be not carried away with the delusion of these lawless men, and fall from your own stedfastness. (18)But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.
THE FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE JOHN.
CHAP. I.
THAT which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have gazed upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life; (2)(for the life was manifested, and we have beheld it, and bear testimony, and declare unto you that life eternal, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us;) (3)that which we have seen and heard, declare we to you, that ye also may have communion with us: and indeed our communion is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (4)And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be complete.
(5)And this is the promise which we have heard from him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and that darkness in him there is none. (6)If we say that we have communion with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and practise not the truth: (7)but if we walk in the light, as he is himself in the light, we have communion with each other, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (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, faithful is he and righteous 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.
CHAP. II.
MY dear children, these things I write to you, that ye should not sin. And if any of us sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2)and he himself is the propitiatory victim for our sins: and indeed not for ours only, but for the whole world. (3)And hereby we 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 in him the truth is not. (5)But whosoever keepeth his word, verily in him is the love of God perfected: by this we know that we are in him. (6)He who saith that he abideth in him, ought as he walked, even so himself to walk.
(7)Brethren, I write not a new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
(8)Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which is a true thing in him, and in you, because the darkness is past, and the true light is now shining. (9)He who saith, that he is in the light, yet hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. (10)He that loveth his brother is in the light, and occasion of stumbling in him there is none. (11)But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he is departing, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.
(12)I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (13)I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. (14)I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him, who is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
(15)Love not the world, neither the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16)For every thing which is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pomp of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17)And the world is passing away, and the lust thereof, but he who doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
(18)My dear children, it is the last hour; and as ye have heard that antichrist is coming, even now there are many antichrists: by which we know it is the last hour. (19)They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they departed, that they might be made manifest that they are not all of us: (20)though ye have an unction from the Holy One, and know all things. (21)I have not written to you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (22)Who is the liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Messiah? This man is the antichrist, who denieth the Father and the Son. (23)Every one that denieth the Son, neither doth he hold the Father; but he that acknowledgeth the Son, holdeth the Father also. (24)Let that abide in you therefore which ye have heard from the beginning. If that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning, ye also shall abide in the Son and in the Father. (25)And this is the promise which he hath promised to us, even life eternal.
(26)These things have I written unto you concerning those who are leading you astray. (27)But the unction which ye have received from him abideth in you; and ye need not that any person should instruct you. But as the same unction teacheth you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie; and as it hath taught you, abide in him. (28)And now, my dear children, abide in him; that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be put to shame by him at his coming. (29)If ye know that he is righteous, know that every one who practises righteousness is born of him.
CHAP. III.
BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God! therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2)Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it is not yet evident what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is. (3)And every one who hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
(4)Every one who committeth sin, committeth also a transgression of the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (5)And ye know that he was manifested, that he might take away our sins; and in him there is no sin. (6)Every one who abideth in him, doth not sin; every one who sinneth hath not seen him, nor known him. (7)My dear children, let no man deceive you: he who doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous: (8)he that practises sin is of the devil; for from the beginning the devil sinneth. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (9)Every one who is born of God, doth not practise sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (10)By this the children of God are manifestly seen, and the children of the devil. Every one that doth not practise righteousness, is not of God, and he that loveth not his brother.
(11)For this is the commandment which ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. (12)Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and slew his brother: and wherefore did he slay him? Because his own works were wicked, and those of his brother righteous.
(13)Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. (14)We know that we are passed out of _a state of_ death into life, because we love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother abideth in death. (15)Every one who hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath life eternal abiding in him.
(16)By this we have known the love _of Christ_, because for us he laid down his own life: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (17)But whosoever hath worldly abundance, and seeth his brother under necessity, and shutteth his bowels of compassion against him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? (18)My dear children, let us not love in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth; (19)and hereby we know that we are of the truth, and in his presence have this persuasion in our hearts. (20)For should our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. (21)Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have confidence towards God. (22)And whatsoever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things which are pleasing in his sight. (23)And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. (24)And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him; and by this we know that he abideth in us, from the Spirit which he hath given us.
CHAP. IV.
BELOVED, believe not every pretender to inspiration, but bring these spirits to the trial whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone forth into the world. (2)By this ye know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesseth that Jesus the Messiah is come in the flesh, is from God. (3)And every spirit who confesseth not that Jesus the Messiah is come into the world, is not from God: and this is that spirit of antichrist which ye have heard that it is coming, and now is already in the world. (4)Ye are of God, my dear children, and have overcome them; because he that is in you is greater than he that is in the world. (5)They are of the world, therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them. (6)We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of delusion.
(7)Beloved, let us love one another; because love is from God, and every one who loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. (8)He that loveth not, never knew God; for God is love. (9)By this was the love of God manifested to us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might have life by him. (10)Herein is love, not that we have loved God, but that he hath loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiatory sacrifice for our sins. (11)Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
(12)No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us. (13)By this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his own Spirit. (14)And we have seen and bear testimony, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.