Gen. vii. 23. Gen. xix. 24. Psa. xxxiv. 15. Heb. xiii. 4. Jude 8, 10. Phil. iii. 19. Num. xxii. 7. Eph. iv. 14. 5 6 mitted them to pits of darkness, to be reserved 7 8 9 While railing at dignities, they tremble not, being presumptuous, self-willed; whereas angels, 11 though greater in might and power, bring not before the LORD a railing judgment against them. But these, as unreasoning creatures, 12 made naturally to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of things which they understand not, and will also perish in their own corruption, suffering wrong as the reward of wrong-doing. They 13 count it pleasure to riot in the daytime; spots they are and blemishes, revelling in their own deceivings (a) while they feast with you; having 14 eyes which are full of adultery (b), and cannot cease from sin; alluring unstable souls; having hearts exercised in covetousness; children of a curse; who, leaving the right way, wandered 15 off, having followed the way of Balaam, son of Beor, one who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but was rebuked for his iniquity; a dumb 16 ass speaking with man's voice checked the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, and mists 17 driven by a storm; to whom the blackness of darkness is reserved. For,when they speak great 18 (a) Some MSS. have "love feasts." (b) Lit. of an adulteress. 3 19 swelling words of vanity, they allure through the While they promise them liberty, they them- 20 brought into bondage. For if those who, Luke xi. 26. 21 the first. For it would be better for them not Pro. xii. 28. I THIS second epistle, beloved, I now write to you; in both I stir up your sincere mind by way 2 of remembrance; that ye may be heedful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord 3 and Saviour through your apostles; knowing Gen. i. I. Gen. i. 6. this first, that scoffers in the last days will come with scoffing, walking according to their own Eze. xii. 22. 4 lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning 5 of the creation. For this they wilfully ignore, that by the word of GOD there were of old, heavens, and an earth formed out of water and 6 by means of water; whereby the world which then was, being overflowed with water, per7 ished; but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word have been stored with fire, being kept unto a day of judgment and of destruction of ungodly men. Gen. vii. 21. 8 But, beloved, be not unmindful of this one Psa. xc. 4. Psa. cii. 26. John xv. 12. Isa. lxv. 17. Isa. lxvi. 12. S John xvi. 13. 2 Tim. iv. 18. Col. i. 23. towards you, wishing not that any should perish, Seeing that all these things are being thus dis- II Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for 14 such things, be diligent that ye may be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. And 15 account the long-suffering of our LORD to be for salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given him wrote to you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in 16 them of these things; wherein are some matters hard to be understood, which those who are unlearned and unstable pervert to their own destruction, as they do also the other Scriptures. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing that ye know 17 these things beforehand, beware lest ye, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and 18 in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. (a) Lit. found; some MSS. have "burnt up." 1 -I 2 THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN THAT which was from the beginning, which John i. 1. we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon, and our hands Luke xxiv. 39. 4 Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And John xv. II. 5 AND this is the message which we have heard from him, and declare to you: GoD is light, and 1 Tim, vi. 16. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, Eph. i. 7. 7 truth; but if we walk in the light as He is in 8 the light, we have fellowship one with another, Heb. ix. 14. and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say, "We have no sin," we are deceiv- Pro. xx. 9. 9 ing ourselves, and the truth is not in us. I If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive Job xxxiii. 27. us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unright IO eousness. If we say, "We have not sinned," we call Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, that ye may not sin. And if any one sin, we have an Advocate (a) with the Father, Jesus Christ 2 the righteous; and he is the propitiation (b) (b) Or atonement. (a) Or Comforter; Gr. Paraclete. (Rom. viii. 34. John xiv. 16. Rom. iii. 25. Luke vi. 46. John xiii. 34. 2 Pet. i. 9. Pro. iv. 25. Psa. xxv. TI. Eph. vi. 10. 2 Pet. ii. 10. for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. And if we are keeping his commandments we thereby perceive that we know him. He who' saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily the love of (a) GOD has been perfected; hereby we know that we are in him. He who saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. 7 8 9 Beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye heard. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is now shining. He who saith that he is in the light, yet hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He who 10 loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is in him no occasion of stumbling. But he who II hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness blinded his eyes. I write to you, little children, because your 12 sins have been forgiven you for his name's sake. I write to you, fathers, because ye have known 13 Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I have written to you, little children, because ye know the Father. I have 14 written to you, fathers, because ye have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of GOD abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things which 15 are in the world. If any one loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all 16 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 of the world. And the world 17 (a) Or for. |