practices: curse : children of the 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But had a rebuke for his own iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, mists driven by a whirlwind; for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved. 18 For by speaking great swelling words of vanity they allure with lusts, by wantonness of the flesh, those that 3are scarcely escaping from them who live in error, 19 Promising them liberty, while they themselves are the slaves of corruption: for by whatsoever a man is overcome, by the same he is also enslaved. 20 For if, having escaped the pollutions of the world in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but having again become entangled therein, they are overcome, their last state is worse than the first. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 1 Not expressed in the original. 2 For ever is omitted in the two oldest MSS. 3 So all the oldest MSS. So most of the oldest MSS. and versions. 22 "It is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog gone back to his own vomit; and the sow that was washed to wallowing in the mire. CHAPTER III. HIS second epistle, beTH loved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure mind by way of remembrance : the words spoken before by 2 That ye may be mindful of the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Saviour "given by your apostles: there shall come in the last 3 Knowing this first, that of the days scoffers in [their] own lusts, scoffing, walking after their promise of his coming? for 4 And saying, Where is the since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue thus from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were from of old, and the earth formed out of water and by means of water: 6 By which waters the world flowed with water, perished: that then was, being over7 But the heavens and the earth which are now by the same word are kept in store, 5 But is omitted in the three oldest MSS. 6 So all the MSS. earlier than the fourteenth century. 7 So all the ancient MSS. and versions. 8 Or, by his word: the ancient MSS. are divided. reserved unto fire against the | be scorched up and melted with day of judgment and perdition fervent heat. of ungodly men. 13 But, according to his pro 8 But, beloved, be not ig-mise, we look for new heavens norant of this one thing, that and a new earth, wherein one day is with the Lord as a dwelleth righteousness. thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, strive diligently to be found in peace, without spot, and blame 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is long-less in his sight, suffering to you-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. io But the day of the Lord will come as a thief ;2 in which the heavens shall pass away with a rushing noise, and the heavenly bodies shall be scorched up and dissolved, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. I Seeing that all these things shall be thus dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy behaviour and godliness, 12 Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the heavenly bodies shall 1 So all the ancient MSS. 2 In the night is omitted in the three oldest MSS. It probably came in here from 1 Thess. v. 2. 3 So two of the oldest MSS.: the other two reading as the A. V. 15 And account the longsuffering of our Lord salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him wrote unto you; 16 Ás also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which epistles are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own perdition. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know beforehand, beware lest, being led away together with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for Amen. ever. 4 So the three most ancient MSS., having the relative pronoun in the feminine: the other MSS. have it in the masculine (or neuter). CHAPTER I. JOHN. 8 If we say that we have no HAT which was from the sin, we deceive ourselves, and THAT heard,-which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon, and our hands handled, -concerning the Word of life; 2 (And the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and declare unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us ;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you 1also, that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we,2 that our joy may be full. 2 5 And this is the message which we have heard of him, and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 Also is found in the authorities. oldest 2 Unto you is omitted in the two oldest MSS. 3 So the two oldest MSS. 4 Christ is omitted by the oldest authorities. we 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. MY CHAPTER II. Y little children, these things write I unto you, that ye may not sin. And if any man have sinned, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is a propitiation for our sins: yet not for ours only, but also for 5[the sins of] the whole world. 3 And hereby we have the knowledge of him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I have the knowledge of him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 7 Beloved, I write no new commandment unto you, but 5 Not expressed in the original. 6 So all the oldest authorities. an old commandment which 15 Love not the world, neiye had from the beginning.ther the things that are in the The old commandment is the world. If any man love the word which ye heard.' world, the love of the Father is not in him. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is passing away, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. II But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness blinded his eyes. 12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye know him that was from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I have written unto you, children, because ye know the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye know him that was from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 1 From the beginning is omitted by all the oldest authorities. 2 So all the oldest authorities. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 18 Children, it is the last time: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; from whence we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from among us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out,] that they may be made manifest that all are not of us. 20 And ye have an anointing from the Holy One, and know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, neither hath he the Father he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also. 3 Not expressed in the original. 4 So all the earliest authorities. 24. As for you, let that' abide in you, which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And the promise that He himself promised unto us is this, even eternal life. dren of God, and it never yet was manifested what we shall be: 5[but] we know that, if it be manifested, we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope on Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. 4 Whosoever committeth sin 26 These things have I writ-transgresseth also the law: ten unto you concerning them and sin is the transgression of that deceive you. the law. 27 And as for you, the anointing which ye received from him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you but as his anointing teacheth you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as He taught you, 3abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, if he should be manifested, we may have confidence, and not shrink with shame from him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is born of him. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth seeth him not, neither knoweth him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that doeth sin is of the devil; because the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doeth not sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. IO In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, and he that loveth not his brother. II For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not as Cain was of the wicked one, and slew his bro |