he has demonstrated: by whom ye should have been cured of every fear by the mark that ye possess. 25 Though ye are as sheep gone astray; seeing by such death ye are now caused to return unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. CHAPTER III. 1. On a like account the wives being in subjection to their own husbands; that, if any do not believe the word, they also may without the word be won by the manner of life of the wives; 2. While they behold the chaste manner of your life in cases of fear. 3. In which, let it not be the world's outward plaiting of the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart's will to the incorruptible preservation of the meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husdands: 6. Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 7. On a like account the husbands dwelling after knowledge that the wife is a weaker vessel, giving her honour as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. 8. Then the end will be, that all will be of one mind, having compassion one of another, full of brotherly love, pitiful, courteous : 9. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing; because ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile : 11. Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12. For the eyes of Jehovah are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of Jehovah is against them that do evil. 13. Then who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? sake blessed are ye: so be not afraid of the terror of them, 15. But sanctify Jehovah the God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, but be so with meekness and fear : 16. Having a good conscience; that in what they speak evil of you, they may be made ashamed that falsely accuse your good manner of life in Christ. 17. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing, 18. For so Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might approach you, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the spirit: 19. By which also having been departed from the spirits in prison; 20. He proclaimed against having disbelieved as once, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved from water. 21. Which is indeed a type of us now: baptism doth save (not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but an answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22. Who is on the right hand of God: he having gone into heaven after angels and authorities and powers having been made subject unto him. CHAPTER IV. 1. Therefore even ye arm yourselves with the same mind after Christ's having suffered in the flesh for he that suffered in the flesh hath refrained from sins: 2. With respect to that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3. For the time past should suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles in walking in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries : 4. Wherefore they are estranged by your not running with them in to the same excess of riot, they speaking evil of obedience to Christ, 5. Who shall give account to him that immediately 14. Even if indeed ye suffer for righteousness' judges the quick and the dead. 6. For this cause, even he was preached a glad tiding to them that shall die, that they might be judged by men in the flesh, even that they should live by God in the spirit. 7. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8. And above all things have fervent charity towards yourselves: for charity covers a multitude of sins. 9. And makes you hospitable one to another without grudging. 10. As every man hath received a gift for your ownselves, minister the same as good stewards of a manifold grace of God, 11. Even though any man speaks as the oracles of God; even though any man ministers as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, which is the praise and the dominion of everything for ever and ever. Amen. 12. Beloved, be not estranged by the fiery trial among you which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13. But as ye partake in the sufferings on account of the Christ, rejoice that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14. Though ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye that the spirit, that is the revelation concerning the glory and concerning God in you is given rest. 15. For none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 16. So if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on account of this name. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls for beneficence to a faithful Creator. CHAPTER V. 1. The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings on account of the Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3. & 4. And its having been made manifest by the chief Shepherd, ye shall receive the crown of the glory that fadeth not away. 5. On a like account ye younger, submit yourselves unto the presbyter; and all one to another be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6. Be humbled therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7. Having cast all your care concerning it upon him; for he is about to do it for you. 8. Be sober, be vigilant; (your adversary a devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking to devour ye which resist, ye which are stedfast in the faith,) 9. Ye knowing that the same evil consequences by the afflictions to your brotherhood in the world are accomplished. 10. & 11. And the God of all grace, who hath called you unto his eternal glory in the Christ, after that ye have suffered a while, he will adjust, stablish, strengthen, to him the dominion obtained for ever. Amen. 12. By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is a true grace of God wherein ye stand. 13. Him that is in Babylon elected together with also Marcus my son salute you. 14. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ. ΑΝ ENGLISH OF THE VERSION SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. CHAPTER I. 1. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have inherited a faith, (men equally precious to us) in a justification of our God and Saviour by Jesus Christ: 2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through a knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3. As by his divine power hath been given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue : 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of a divine nature, having escaped the destruction that is in the world through lust. 5. And even this same thing being conferred in addition to them that use all diligence, add to your faith the virtue required by it; and to the virtue the knowledge: 6. And to the knowledge the temperance; and to the temperance the patience; and to the patience the godliness; 7. And to the godliness the brotherly kindness; and to the brotherly kindness the charity. 8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9. But he that lacketh these things is blind, shutting his eyes, having forgotten the terms of his purification from his old sins. 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye would never fall: 11. For so the entrance shall be furnished unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, even if ye have known and been established in the present truth. 13. For I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath made manifest to me. 15. Even I shall endeavour also, that ye have after my decease, always esteem for the remembrance of these things. 16. For we not having followed cunningly devised fables made known unto you the power and appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, even having been eyewitnesses of the majesty of that man. 17. For we witness his having received from God the Father honour and glory by a voice of such notoriety having come to him from the excellent glory, This is my Son that is my beloved, by whom I was well pleased. 18. Indeed we heard this voice which came from heaven, we being with him in the holy mount. 19. But we have a greater certainty, the word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until day dawns, and a day star arise in your hearts: 20. Knowing this first, that every prophecy of the scripture is not made for private interpretation. 21. For prophecy came not at any time to be subject to the will of man: but for a spirit's being brought holy, men spake as they were moved by God. CHAPTER II. 1. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying a sovereign Lord that redeemed them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now lingereth not long, even their destruction slumbereth not. 4. For if God spared not his messengers that sinned, but having cast them into an abyss in pits of darkness, he delivered over to judgment those he had preserved; 5. And if he spared not the old world, though he saved Noah an eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, he having brought in a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6. And if having turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes, he passed a sentence: having made an ensample against living ungodly, 7. And if just Lot being delivered from the filthy conversation of the wicked through a wanton insult, he drew out of evil. 8. (For he righteous dwelling among them though seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds ;) 9. Jehovah sheweth to man he knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to guard the unjust reserved unto a day of judgment: 10. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil respecting their condition in glory. 11. Where say they, angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not against them before Jehovah a charge of blasphemous judgment. 12. Yet these, as brute beasts, made as to their present nature to be taken and destroyed; as to which not understanding, they speak evil of these things: so in their corruption of truth they shall be destroyed; ness, they count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves in their assemblings while they feast with you; 14. Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: having an heart exercised in covetous practices; cursed children: 15. Which having forsaken the right way, are led astray having followed the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, they desired a reward for unrighteous ness: 16. Though he obtained conviction of his own iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 17. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; men in whom the undistinguishableness of darkness hath been preserved. 18. For they speaking great swelling words of vanity, allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those feeble that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19. Promising them liberty, while they themselves are the servants of man's present corruption : for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20. For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world that man inherits through a knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and again having been entangled by these things, they are overcome, the latter end worse than the beginning hath been made to them. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of the justification by Christ, than after they have known it to turn from that that was delivered unto them by holy commandment. 22. But the fulfilment of the true proverb hath befallen them, They are as a dog returned to his own vomit; and a sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. CHAPTER III. 1. This, a second epistle unto you, beloved, I now write; in both which I stir up you by way of remembrance : 2. That the pure mind be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and by the commandment of your apostles concerning 13. Treating unjustly the reward of unrighteous- the Lord and Saviour: 3. Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days through scoffing, scoffers walking after their own lusts, 4. And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5. For this thing lies hid to them that will it, that the heavens were from ancient times, but the earth from water, as from water it was by God's decree called into existence : 6. On account of which things, the world that then was living, being overflowed with water, was destroyed: 7. And the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same, a decree, are kept in store for fire, reserved until a day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly men that scoff at the fulfilment of such a decree. 8. But, beloved, as regards this, let it not be concealed by you, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9. Jehovah is not slack concerning the promise, as some men count slackness; but delays on account of you, not willing any to have destroyed, but that all should succeed in escaping judgment and destruction by repentance. 10. Though a day of Jehovah will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the heavenly bodies being set on fire shall be destroyed, and the earth also; yet the works performed therein shall be discovered after all these things being thus dissolved. 11. What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being set on fire shall be destroyed, and the elements being set on fire shall be dissolved? 13. Although we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that we look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15. Then do ye account the longsuffering salvation of our Lord; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hardly to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures unto their own destruction of them to themselves. 17. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away in the error of the lawless, fall from your own stedfastness. 18. And grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; the glory in him both now and in the day of the ever. |