it to salvation, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. To whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed by men but approved by God, elect, precious, do you also yourselves be built up living stones, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices well pleasing to God through Jesus Christ, for it is said in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious, and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed. To you therefore who believe he is precious; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the head of a corner and a stone of stumbling and rock of offense, who stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed. But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should declare the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his glorious light; who formerly were not a people, but now are a people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

CHAPTER II.

PERSONAL, POLITICAL, AND SOCIAL DUTIES, ETC.

1 BELOVED, I exhort you as strangers and foreigners, abstain from carnal desires, which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the gentiles, that wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, from the good works which they see they may glorify God in the day of visitation.

2 Be subject therefore to every human government, for the Lord's sake, whether to the king, as superior, to governors, sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of those who do well; for this is the will of God, that by well-doing you may silence the ignorance of foolish men; as free, and not using freedom for a cloak of vice, but as servants of God. Honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

3 Let servants be subject with all fear to masters, not only to the good and gentle but also to the perverse. For this deserves thanks, if on account of a knowledge of God one endures pain, suffering unjustly. For what glory is it if when you sin and are punished you bear it patiently? But if you do well and suffer and bear it patiently, [this deserves thanks], for it is acceptable to

God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you a copy that you should follow his steps, who committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth, who being reviled reviled not, suffering threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously, who himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we having died to sins, may live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like lost sheep, but are now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

4 In like manner let the women be subject to their husbands, that even if some disobey the word, they may be gained through the conduct of their wives without the word, seeing your pure mode of life in the fear [of God]. Whose ornament let it not be the external [ornament] of braided hair and the putting on of chains of gold or of clothing, but let the hidden man of the heart be adorned with the imperishable [ornaments] of a meek and quiet spirit, which are of great price before God. For so formerly also the holy women who hoped in God adorned themselves, being subject to their husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose children you are, doing good and having no fear. In like manner let the husbands [do], living together in knowledge with the wife as with a vessel of less strength, deeming them precious, co-heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

5 Finally, be all of one mind, sympathising, loving as brothers, compassionate, humble, not returning evil for evil or railing for railing, but on the contrary blessing [your enemies], because to this you are called, that you may inherit blessing. For he that will love life and see good days, let him withhold his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, let him abstain from evil and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it, for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

6 And who is he that will injure you if you are followers of what is good? But even if you suffer on account of righteousness, you are blessed. But fear not with their fear, neither be troubled; and sanctify the anointed Lord in your hearts, and be always ready with a defense to every one that asks you a reason for the hope that is in you; but with meekness and fear, having ą

good conscience, that in what they speak evil of you they may be ashamed who slander your good conduct in Christ. For it is better to suffer doing good, if the will of God allows, than doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might lead us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who were formerly disobedient when the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight souls, were saved by water. The archetype of which, baptism, also now saves us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience in God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is on the right hand of God, having gone to heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

7 Christ therefore having suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that you may no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh according to the desires of men, but according to the will of God. For the time past is sufficient for us to have performed the will of the gentiles, walking in lewdness, inordinate desires, drunkenness, revellings, drinkings and unlawful idolatries, in which they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excessive intemperance, blaspheming, who shall give an account to him that is ready to judge the living and dead. And for this cause was the gospel preached also to the dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the Spirit.

8 But the end of all things is at hand. Be sober therefore, and watch in prayers; above all things have fervent love one for another, for love hides a multitude of sins. Be hospitable one to another, without complaining; as each has received a gift, minister the same among yourselves as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any one speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God, if any one serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the power for ever and ever; amen.

CHAPTER III.

TRIALS, ADMONITIONS TO PRESBYTERS, ETC.

1 BELOVED, think not strange of the fiery trial which is to try you, as if some strange thing happened to you, but as you partake of the sufferings of Christ rejoice, that you may also rejoice exulting at the revelation of his glory. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or as a meddler in other men's affairs; but as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, let him glorify God on this account. For it is time for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it first begins with us, what will the end be of those that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous man is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? Let those therefore who suffer by the will of God, commit their souls to him in well doing as a faithful creator.

2 The elders among you I exhort, who am a co-elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed; feed the flock of God which is among you, not by constraint but willingly, not for base gain but of a ready mind, not as having a lordship over God's inheritance but being examples to the flock; and when the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive an unfading crown of glory.

3 Let the younger in like manner be subject to the elder, and do you all be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you.

4 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished by your brothers in the world. And may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, when you have suffered a little while, himself make you perfect, confirm, strengthen, establish you. To him be the glory and the power for ever;

amen.

5 I have written to you in a few words by Silvanus [Siias], a faithful brother as I suppose, exhorting you, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. The co-elect [church] at Babylon salutes you, and Mark my son. Salute one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all in Christ.

SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.

BABYLON, A.D. 67.

CHAPTER I.

THE PURSUIT OF THE VIRTUES, THE GLORY OF CHRIST, FALSE TEACHERS, ETC.

1 SIMEON Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied to you by a knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

2 As his divine power has given us all things which pertain to life and piety, through the knowledge of him that has called us to his own glory and virtue, through which have been given us very great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption which is in the world by inordinate desire, and for the same purpose also, giving all diligence add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience piety, and to piety brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these are in you and abound, they will make you not inactive nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; for a man that is without these is blind, not seeing to a distance, and has forgotten the purification from his former errors. Wherefore, brothers, use the greater diligence to make your calling and election sure; for doing these things you shall never fall. For thus shall you have an abundant entrance given you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

3 Wherefore I will not neglect always to remind you of these things, although you have known them, and have been established