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v. 6.

14 and fear not their terror; but sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts.

15 And be always ready, with meekness and respect, to give an answer to every one who asketh of you a reason of the hope that is in you:

16 holding a good conscience; that, in that in which ye are slandered, they who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ, may be shamed.

17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, to suffer for well doing, than for evil doing:

18 for, even Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; being made to die in the flesh, but to live in the Spirit,

19 in which, also, he went forth, and gave warning to the spirits now in prison;

20 which, in former time, believed not, when the longsuffering of God waited, in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing; in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water:

21 whose antitype, baptism, (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) now also saveth us, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

22 who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels, and authorities, and

powers being made subject to him.

CHAPTER IV.

SINCE, then, Christ hath suffered in the flesh, arm

ye yourselves, also, with the same mind;

2 for, he who hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sins, that he should no longer live the remainder of his time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

3 For, the time past of your c. i. 18. life sufficeth to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, walking in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries;

tile Converts.

4 in which, they think it strange that ye run not with i. e. the Genthem still, to the same excess of riot; and speak evil of you:

5 who will render account to him that is ready to judge the living, and the dead.

6 For, for this cause was the gospel preached to them, also, that are now dead; that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but might live according to God, in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be prudent, therefore, and watch unto prayer; 8 and, above all things, have constant love among yourselves; for, love will cover a multitude of sins.

9 Be ye hospitable one to another, without murmuring: 10 according as each hath received bounty, let them administer the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold favour of God:

11 if any one speak, let him speak according to the oracles of God; if any one minister, let him do so as from an ability which God supplieth: that, in all things, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen!

12 Beloved, be not amazed at the fire which is kindled among you for your trial, as if some strange thing happened to you; 13 but, so much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may also rejoice with exceeding joy.

14 If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, ye are blessed, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you; 15 but, let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or as a meddler in the concerns of them that are without:

16 yet, if he suffer as being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but, let him glorify God in that Name.

17 For, it is now the time for judgment to begin at the house of God; and, if it begin first

with us, what will be the end of those who disbelieve the gospel of God?

18 and, if the justified be scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and sinner appear? 19 Wherefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God, commit their souls in well doing to Him, as to a faithful Creator.

I,

CHAPTER V.

THEREFORE, their fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed, exhort the elders that are among you: 2 feed ye the flock of God, Acts, xx. 28. which is among you; watching over it, not as by constraint, but willingly; not for base gain, but with a ready mind; 3 and, when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye will receive the never-fading crown of glory.

4 Likewise, ye that are younger, submit yourselves to your elders; and let all be subject one to another; and be ye clothed with humility, for, "God resisteth the proud, but Prov. iii. 34. "giveth grace to the humble:" 5 humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due season; casting all your care on him, for he careth for you.

6 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary, the devil, walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour you:

7 whom resist, steadfast in the faith; knowing, that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world:

8 and, the God of all grace, who hath called you to his eternal glory by Christ, after ye have suffered a little while, will himself perfect, stablish, strengthen you.

9 To him is dominion for ever! Amen!

10 I have written to you in few words by Silvanus, the faithful brother (as I account him); exhorting, and testifying, that this, in which ye stand, is the True Grace of God.

11 The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, saluteth you; also, my son Mark. 12 Salute ye one another, with a kiss of love. Peace be with you all, who are in Christ!

THE

SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL

OF

PETER.

SIM

CHAPTER I.

IMON Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained equal precious faith with us, in the justification of our God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ;

2 grace and peace be multiplied to you, in the knowledge of God, and of Jesus, our Lord;

3 as his divine power hath given to us all things pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 in which things, he hath given to us the greatest and most precious promises; that, by these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, if ye escape the corruption which is in the world through lust.

5 For this end, therefore, applying all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

6 and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness;

7 and to godliness, brotherly affection; and to brotherly affection, love;

8 for, if these things are in you, and abound, they render you neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 but, he that hath not these things, is blind; closing his eyes, and choosing to forget the purification of his former sins.

10 Wherefore, brethren, strive the more earnestly to make your calling, also a sure choos- Matt. xxii. 14. ing; for, if ye do these things, ye will never fall:

11 for so, the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, will be richly afforded you.

12 Wherefore, I shall always be careful to remind you of these things; although ye know them, and are confirmed in the present truth;

13 and I think it right, so long as I am in this tabernacle, to rouse you by such remembrance;

14 knowing, that I must shortly put off my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me:

15 and I will also endeavour, that, after my departure, ye may have these things, at all times, in remembrance.

16 For, we did not follow artfully devised tales, when we declared to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty:

17 for, he received from God the Father honour and glory, when such a voice as this came to him from the excel

Matt. xvii. 5. lent glory, "This is my be"loved Son, in whom I am "well pleased!"

18 and we heard that voice come from heaven, when we were with him on the holy

mount:

19 and we hold the surer the prophetic word, to which ye will do well to take heed; as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts;

20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation :

21 for, prophecy came not in former time by the will of

man; but, men moved by the Holy Spirit, spake from God.

CHAPTER II.

BUT, there were then, also,

false prophets among the people; as false teachers will Matt. xxiv. also be among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even disowning the Master who bought them; bringing speedy destruction on themselves:

2 and many will follow their corruptions, through whom the way of the truth will be blasphemed; and, through their covetousness, they will make a profit of you by artful words :

3 whose condemnation, of a long time lingereth not; and their perdition, slumbereth not.

4 For, God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell; and delivered them to be kept in chains of darkness:

5 and spared not the first world; but preserved Noah, a preacher of justification, with seven others, and brought a deluge on the world of the ungodly:

6 and condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, by reducing them to ashes, making them an example of the things that should befall the ungodly;

7 but, delivered just Lot, overwhelmed by the filthy conversation of the wicked:

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