Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

always of these things, tho' ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

13. For I think it meet, as long as I am in this (bodily) tabernacle, to stir you up by reminding you. 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this tabernacle, even as the Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

15. But I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.

16. For we have not followed cunningly-devised fables, when we made known to you the power and appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. 17. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when such a voice came to him from the magnificent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18. And this voice from heaven we heard, when we were with him on the holy mount.

19. We have also the word of prophecy more confirmed, whereunto ye do well to attend, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the morning star of glory arise in your hearts. 20. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21. For the prophecy came not at any time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

CHAP. II.

PETER FORETELLETH OF FALSE TEACHERS.

BUT there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you, who privily will bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by means of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3. And through covetousness they shall

with feigned words make merchandize of you: whose judgment long ago foretold lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down hell-ward, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved to judgment; 5. And spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6. And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those that would be afterward ungodly; 7. And delivered righteous Lot, vexed with the lascivious conversation of the wicked; 8. For that righteous man dwelling among them, had his righteous soul tormented from day to day, by seeing and hearing their unlawful deeds. 9. The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unrighteous to the day of judgment to be punished; 10. But chiefly them that walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise dominion, daring and self-willed, not being afraid to speak evil of dignities; 11. Whereas angels, though greater in strength and power than others, bring not railing accusations against them before the Lord.

12. But these, as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of things whereof they are ignorant, and shall utterly perish by their corruption of themselves. 13. And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they count it pleasure to riot in the day time. They are spots and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings, while they feast with you; 14. Having eyes full of whoredom, that cannot cease from sin; alluring unstable souls; an heart they have exercised with covetousness; cursed children. 15. Having forsaken the right way, and gone astray, fol, lowing the way of Balaam the son Boşor, who lov

ed the wages of unrighteousness; 16. But was rebuked for his transgression; the dumb ass, speaking with man's voice, forbade the madness of the prophet.

17. These are wells without water, clouds driv. en away by a tempest; to whom the blackness of darkness is reserved for ever. 18. For when they speak great swelling words of falsehood, they allure by the lusts of the flesh, thro' much wantonness, those that were nearly escaped from them who live in error. 19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the slaves of corruption; for by whatever a man is overcome, by the same is he enslaved. 20. For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they be again entangled therein, and overcome, their latter end is worse than the beginning. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after having known it, to turn from the holy command delivered to them. 22. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is returned to (gorge up) his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.

CHAP. III.

OF CHRIST'S COMING TO JUDGMENT.

BELOVED, this second epistle, I now write to you; in both epistles I stir up your sincere minds in remembrance: 2. To be mindful of the words spoken formerly by the holy prophets, and of the command of us the apostles of the Lord and Savi

our:

3. Knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking after their own lusts, 4. And saying, Where is the promise of his coming to judgment? for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

5. For of this they are wilfully ignorant, that by the word of God the heavens were made of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6. Whereby the world then being overflowed with water, perished; 7. But the heavens and the earth are now, by the same word reserved to fire kept in store, against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8. But, beloved, be not ignorant, of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9. The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some men count it slowness: but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10. But the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with burning heat, the earth also, and the works therein shall be burnt up.

11. Since then all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12. Looking and longing for the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with burning heat.

13. But we, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, (glorious, everlasting habitations,) wherein dwelleth righteous

ness.

14. Therefore, beloved, since ye look for such things be diligent, to be found by him in peace, without spot, and blameless; 15. And account the long-suffering of our Lord salvation; as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, hath written to you, (Rom. ii. 4.) 16. Speaking of such persons in all his epistles, in which are some things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unsteadfast

wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction..

17. Therefore, beloved, since ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being entangled with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness: 18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now, and for ever. Amen.

S. JOHN the Apostle's

FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE.

CHAP. I.

HE DESCRIBES THE PERSON OF CHRIST.

THE word of life which was from the beginning,

which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have (attentively) looked upon, and our hands have handled, (Joh. xx. 27.) 2. Even (Christ) the life was manifested as we have seen, and bear witness, and tell you of the everlasting life which was with the Father, and was manifested to us; 3. What we have seen and heard we declare to you, that ye also may have communion with us: and truly our communion is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

4. And these things we write to you, that your joy may be fulfilled.

5. Now this is the message which we heard from him, and declare to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness (ignorance or sin) at all.

6. If we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, ye have fellowship one with another, (in him), and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin, (not presumptuous, Num. xv. 30.)

« PreviousContinue »