8 for, that just man, who dwelt among them, tortured his just soul day after day, by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds. 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust to be punished in the day of judgment: 10 and chiefly, those that walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness; and who despise government: presumptuous, selfwilled, not afraid to speak evil of dignities: 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord; 12 but these, as senseless beasts, born by their nature to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of things that they understand not; and will perish in their own corruption : 13 suffering the reward of their iniquity, who count it pleasure to riot in the daytime they are stains and blots 1 Cor. xi. 20. pampering themselves, while they take part with you in your love-feasts: ing the way of Balaam the son of Beor; 16 who loved the wages of iniquity, but received conviction of his transgression: the dumb beast, speaking with man's voice, restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These, are wells without water, clouds driven by a tempest; for whom is reserved the obscurity of darkness. 18 For, by uttering swelling words of vanity, they insnare, by the fleshly lusts of wantonness, them that had somewhat escaped from those who live in error: 19 being themselves, while they promise them freedom, slaves of corruption: for, by Rom. vi. 16. whom any one is overcome, to the same he is in bondage. 20 For if, after having escaped from the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them, and overcome by them, the latter end is worse to them than the be- Heb. x. 26,27. ginning: 21 for, it would have been better for them not to have known the way of justification, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 That which the true proverb saith, hath happened to them, The dog is turned back to his own vomit; and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire. CHAPTER III. THIS is now the second epistle, beloved, that I write to you; in both which I stir up your sincere minds by remembrance, 2 that ye may keep in mind the words which were before spoken by the holy prophets; and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Saviour. 3 Knowing this first, that in the last days will come scoffers, walking after their own lusts; 4 and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been from the beginning of the creation : 5 for, of this they are willingly ignorant, that, by the word of God, there were heavens heretofore, and an earth standing out of water and in water; 6 by which, the world that then was (being overflowed by the water,) perished. 7 But, the heavens and the earth which are now, are by his word kept in store, reserved for fire, at the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not forgetful of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thou- Ps. xc. 4. sand years as one day: 9 the Lord doth not delay his promise, as some deem it delay; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But, the day of the Lord will come, as a thief, in which day the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and their elements be dissolved with burning heat; the earth also, and the works that are in it 1 Cor. iii. will be discovered: 11 since, then, all these things will thus be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be? 12 looking and longing, in holy conversation and godliness, for the presence of the day of God; in which the burning heavens will be dissolved, and their elements melt away with fervid heat? 13-15. Heb. v. 14. Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, hath written to you; as also, in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; 16 in which are some things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Knowing, therefore, these things beforehand, beloved, be ye on your guard; that ye be not led away with the error of the wicked, and fall from your own steadfastness : 18 but, increase ye in grace, and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: to him be glory, both now and for ever! THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN. Luke, i. 2. CHAPTER I. that we have com 6 if we say THAT which was at the be- darkness, we lie, and speak ginning, which we have heard, and which we have seen with our eyes; which we have looked on, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life; 2 (for the Life was manifested, and we saw it; and we bear witness to it, and also declare to you that eternal Life John, i. 1-4. which was with the Father, and hath been manifested to us ;) 3 that which we have seen and have heard we declare to you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and, moreover, our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ: 4 and these things we write, that your joy may be fulfilled. 5 And this is the declaration which we heard from him, and report to you, That God is light, and there is no darkness in him: not the truth: 7 but, if we walk in the light, as he himself is in the light, we have communion together; and the blood of his Son Jesus Christ purifieth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have not 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 purify us from all iniquity : 10 if we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, Rom. fií. 1. and his word is not in us. CHAPTER II. MY children, I write these 2 and he is a propitiation for Gal. iii. 2. our sins; and not for ours only, but also, for those of the whole world. 3 And, by this we know that we know him; if we keep his commandments: 4 he who saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but, whosoever keepeth his word, in him the love of God is truly perfected by this we know that we are in him: 6 he who saith, that he dwell eth in him, ought himself, also, so to walk as he walked: 7 beloved, in this I write not a new commandment to you, but the former commandment which ye had at the beginning; that former commandment, is the word which ye have heard. 8 Again, I write to you a new commandment, concerning that which is true, both in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shineth : 9 he who saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now: 10 he who loveth his brother dwelleth in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him; 11 but, he who hateth his brother, is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness; and knoweth not whither he go eth, because the darkness hath John, xii. 35. blinded his eyes. 12 I write to you, my children, because your sins are forgiven. you, for his name's sake: 13 I write to you, who are fathers, because ye have known him from the beginning; 14 I write to you, who are young, because ye have overcome the wicked one. 15 Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world if any one love the world, the love of the Father James, iv. 4. is not in him; 16 for, all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world; 17 and the world, and its 1 Pet. i. 23. lust, passeth away; but, he who doeth the will of God, abideth for ever. 2 Cor. xi. 4. 18 Children, it is now the last time and as ye have heard that antichrist cometh, so now c. iv. 4. there are many antichrists, by which we know that this is the last time: 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 went out from us, that it might be made manifest in them, that all are not of us : 20 but ye all know, that ye have a gift from the Holy One. 21 I have not written to you |