Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by this law as transgressors. For he that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. One only is the Lawgiver and Judge: who then art thou that judgest thy neighbour?

I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you; that none of you be puffed up. For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Therefore judge not one another any more; but subject another in the love of Christ. Lord hath distributed to each man, as God hath called each, so let him walk; knowing that whatsoever good thing each one doeth, the same shall he receive again from the Lord, and that with God there is no respect of persons.

yourselves one to According as the

And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, from God our Father.

JAMES III

If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue, this man's religion is vain. But if any man stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.

Now if we put the horses' bridles into their

mouths, that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. Behold, the ships also, though they are so great, and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whithersoever the steersman willeth. So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a forest is kindled by how small a fire! And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature.

For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mánkind: but the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God: out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing! My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter? can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine bring forth figs? neither can salt water yield sweet.

Who is wise and understanding among you? let him shew by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then

peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.

THE FIRST EPISTLE

OF PETER

I PETER I

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the sojourners who are scattered abroad, chosen, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, for sanctification through the Spirit: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope, unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved for you, who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto salvation. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials; that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ: whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

For concerning this salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when

it testified beforehand the sufferings unto Christ, and the glories that should follow them. For thus was it revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, were they ministering these things, which have now been announced unto you through them that preached unto you the gospel.

And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in soberness: knowing that ye were redeemed from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers, not with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the priceless life of Christ who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in the latter times for your sake, who are believers in God; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

Seeing then that ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: having been born again, not of flesh and blood, but of the Spirit, through the word of God who liveth and abideth for ever.

[ocr errors]

I PETER II

Isaiah lvii, lxvi. II Corinthians vi. Ephesians ii Thus saith the Lord:

Heaven is my throne,

And the earth is my footstool;

What manner of house will ye build unto me?
And where shall be my dwelling-place?

For all these things hath mine hand made,

« AnteriorContinuar »