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4:7.

But the end of everything is at hand. So be of sound mind and self-contained with a view to prayer above all being hearty and earnest in your love among yourselves. For love covers a multitude of sins: being hospitable to each other without murmuring: according as each has received a gift ministering it among yourselves as good stewards of the varied grace of God. If any one speaks, speaking as oracles of God: if any one ministers, ministering with the strength which God supplies that in every thing God may be praised through Jesus Christ, whose is the praise and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

:

Beloved, do not be astonished at the fiery trial among you which comes on you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened to you; but in proportion as you are sharers in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, that at the revealing of his praise, you may rejoice with exulting joy.

If you are reproached with the name of Christ, blessed are you, because the Spirit of praise and the Spirit of God rest on you. For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters. But if a man suffers as a "Christian," let him not be ashamed, but let him praise God with this For the time has come for judgment to

name.

4:17

begin at the house of God. And if it begins first at us, what shall be the end of those who do not obey the good news of God? And if the good man is scarcely saved, where shall the godless and bad man appear?

So let those also who are suffering according to the will of God commit their souls in welldoing to a faithful Creator.

So the elders among you I exhort who am a fellow-elder, a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a sharer in the glory which will be revealed.

Tend the flock of God which is among you, not by constraint, but willingly, nor yet for sordid gain, but of a ready mind, nor as lording it over the charge allotted you, but making yourselves examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall be manifested you will receive the crown of glory which never fades away.

In the same way, you younger men, submit yourselves to the elder.

Yes, all of you, gird yourselves with humility to serve each other. For

God resisteth the proud,

But giveth grace to the humble.

So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; throwing all your anxiety on him. For he cares

for you.

5:8.

Be sober.

Be watchful.

Your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, s walking about, seeking whom he may devour. Withstand him, steadfast in your faith, knowing hat the same sufferings are being accomplished n your brothers who are in the world.

Now the God of all grace,

Who called you to his eternal glory in Christ,
After you have suffered a little while,

Will himself perfect, stablish, strengthen
you,

To him be the dominion forever and ever.

Amen.

By Silvanus our faithful brother, as I account him, I have written you briefly, exhorting and witnessing that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.

She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, salutes you, and so does Mark, my son. Salute each other with a kiss of love.

Peace be to you all who are in Christ.

SIMON PETER,

A SLAVE AND AN APOSTLE

OF

JESUS CHRIST,

To those who have obtained an equally precious faith with us, through the fairness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the full knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that his divine power has given us every thing which belongs to life and godliness, through the full knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue. And by this he has given us his precious and greatest promises; that through these you may become sharers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by desire.

Yes, and on this very account, adding on your part all earnestness,

I: 5.

With and by your faith supply courage;
by your courage, knowledge;

by your knowledge, self-control;
by your self-control, endurance;
by your endurance, godliness;

by your godliness, brotherly kindness; by your brotherly kindness, love.

For when these are yours and you have an abundance of them, they make you neither idle nor unfruitful towards the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For he who has not these is blind, near-sighted, and has forgotten the cleansing of his sins of long ago. For this reason, brothers, go the more earnestly to work to make your calling and selection sure. For when you do this you shall never stumble. For in this way will be richly supplied to you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

So I shall always be ready to remind you of these, though you know them, and are established in the truth which is with you. But I think it right, so long as I am in this tent of the flesh, to stir you up by reminding you. For I know that the putting off of my tent will be sudden, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. And I will make an earnest effort that after my decease you may be able to remember these things.

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