Gen. vii. 23.
Gen. viii.

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
unto judgment; and spared not the old world,
bringing in a flood upon the world of the un-
godly; yet saved (with seven others) Noah, a
herald of righteousness; and burning the cities
of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, condemned
them with an overthrow, making them an ex-
ample unto those who should thereafter lead
ungodly lives; and delivered righteous Lot dis-
tressed with the licentious life of the wicked;
(for that righteous man dwelling among them,
in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul
from day to day with their unlawful deeds ;)—
the LORD knoweth how to deliver the godly out
of trial, and to reserve the unrighteous under
punishment unto the day of judgment; but es- 10
pecially those who walk according to the flesh
in the lust of impurity, and despise authority.

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
lusts of the flesh, through wantonness, such as
are scarcely escaping from those who live in error.

While they promise them liberty, they them-
selves are the slaves of corruption; for by John viii. 34.
whomsoever a man is overcome, to him he is

20 brought into bondage. For if those who, Luke xi. 26.
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, escaped the pollutions of the world,
become again entangled therein and overcome,
the last state has become worse with them than

21 the first. For it would be better for them not Pro. xii. 28.
to have known the way of righteousness, than,
after they had known it, to turn back from the
22 holy commandment delivered to them. It has Pro. xxvi. 11.
happened to them according to the true proverb,
"A dog turning back to its own vomit,' and
"A sow which had washed, to wallowing in the
mire.'

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.
thing, that one day is with the LORD as a thou-
sand years, and a thousand years are as one day.
9 The LORD is not slack concerning his promise, as
some men count slackness; but is long-suffering

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,
but that all should come to repentance. But, 10
like a thief, a day of the LORD will come, in
which the heavens will pass away with a rushing
noise, while elements burning with fervent heat
will be dissolved; and the earth and the works
which are therein will be disclosed (a).

Seeing that all these things are being thus dis- II
solved, what manner of persons ought ye to be
in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and 12
hastening the coming of the day of GOD, by
reason of which the heavens being on fire will be
dissolved, and elements burning with fervent
heat are melting away? But we, according to 13
His promise, are looking for new heavens and a
new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

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.
2 felt, of the word of life;-and the life was mani- John xvii. 3.
fested, and we have seen it, and bear testimony,
and declare to you the eternal life which was
with the Father, and was manifested to us;-
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare John xvii. 21.
to you also, that ye also may have fellowship
with us; and truly our fellowship is with the

4 Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And John xv. II.
these things we write, that our joy may be
fulfilled.

5

AND this is the message which we have heard

from him, and declare to you: GoD is light, and 1 Tim, vi. 16.
in Him there is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, Eph. i. 7.
yet walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the

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.