Because, indeed, you have tasted that the Lord is good;

who formerly were not a people, but now are a people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Have your behavior comely, among the Gentiles, that, whereas, they speak against you, as evil doers, having beheld your good works, they may glorify God, in the day of visitation.

For the time which has passed of life, is sufficient to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, having walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excesses in wine, revellings, carousals, and abominable idolatries.

And above all things, have fervent love to one another; for love will cover a multitude of sins.

And may the God of all favor, who has called us to his eternal glory, by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, himself make you complete; support, strengthen, establish you:

By Sylvanus, a faithful brother, (as I conclude,) I have written to you in few words, exhorting you, and strongly testifying that this is the true favor of God, in which you stand.

Symeon Peter, a servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, to them who have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:

Therefore, I will carefully endeavor that you may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance.

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his grandeur;

so we have the prophetic word more firm; to which you do well to take heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, till the day dawn, and the morning star arise in your hearts.

having forsaken the right path, they have wandered, following in the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity,

for, speaking great swelling words of falsehood, they allure by the lusts of the flesh, even by lasciviousness, those who have actually fled away from them who are living in error.

Therefore, it has been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have contemplated, and our hands have handled, concerning the living Word-

(for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and declare to you that life which is eternal, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us;)

that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you; that you also may have fellowship with us: and our fellowship truly is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

Moreover, this is the message which we have heard from him, and declare to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and obey not the truth.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light; we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ the Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. Yet if any one has sinned, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Just One.

And by this, we know that we have known him, if we keep his commandments.

He who says, I have known him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in this man.

Brethren, I do not write a new commandment to you; but an old commandment, which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word, which you have heard from the beginning.

Fathers, I write to you, because you have known him from the beginning. Young men, I write to you, because you have overcome the wicked one.

Fathers, I have written to you, because you have known him from the beginning. Young men, I have written to you, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

Young children, it is the last period. And as you have heard that the antichrist comes, so, now, there are many antichrists; whence you know that it is the last period.

They went away from us, but they were not of us. For, if they had been of us, they would have abode with us; but they went away, that they might be made manifest that they were not of us.

But you have an unction from the Holy One, and know all things.

I have not written to you because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Therefore, let what you have heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you have heard from the beginning, abide in you; you also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father:

These things I have written to you, concerning them who deceive you;

but the unction which you have received from him abides in you; and you have no need that any one should teach you, unless the same unction teaches you concerning all things, and is truth, and is no lie: and as it has taught you, you will abide in him.

And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and may not be put to shame by him, at his coming.

For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

We know that we have passed away from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who loves not his brother, abides in death.

By this we have known the love of Christ, because he laid down his life for us; therefore we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Beloved, if our heart do not condemn us, we have confidence with God.

And every spirit that does not confess Jesus, is not from God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, which you have heard that it comes, and now is in the world already.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because he is greater, who is with you, than he who is with the world.

Now we have seen, and bear testimony, that the Father has sent forth his Son, to be the Saviour of the world.

And we have known, and believed the love which God has in us. God is love; wherefore, he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in him.

By this, the love has been perfected in us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world.

Moreover, this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God, loves his brother, also.

These things I have written to you, that you may know that you have eternal life-that you may continue to believe on the name of the Son of God.

And this is the confidence which we have with him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hearkens to us.

And if we know that he hearkens to us, concerning whatever we ask; we know that we shall obtain the petitions which we have asked from him.

The elder, to Electa Cyria, and her children, whom I love sincerely; and not I only, but also all who have known the truth;

And this is the love that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you have heard from the beginning, that you may walk in it;

Look to yourselves, that we may not lose the things which we have wrought, but may receive a full reward.

I have no greater joy than that which I have when I hear my children are walking in truth.

These have borne testimony to your love, in the presence of the congregation; whom, if you help forward on their journey, in a manner worthy of God, you will do well.

I have many things to write; but I do not incline to write them to you with pen and ink:

For certain men have come in privily, who long ago were before written to this very condemnation; ungodly men, perverting the favor of our God to lasciviousness, and denying the only sovereign Lord, even our Lord Jesus Christ.

Alas for them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and have run evidently in the error of Balaam's hire, and have perished in the rebellion of Korah.

to pass sentence on all, and to convict all the ungodly among them, of all their deeds of ungodliness; which they have impiously committed; and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

And making a difference, have compassion, indeed, on some:

I am he who lives and was dead; and behold, I am living for ever and ever; and I have the keys of the unseen world, and of death.

I know your works, and your labor, and your patience; and that you can not bear those who are evil: and you have tried those who say they are Apostles, and are not, and have found them liars;

and you have patience; and have borne for my name's sake, and have not fainted.

Nevertheless, I have against you that you have lost your first love.

Yet you have this, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Fear none of the things which you shall suffer; behold, the devil will cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be you faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life.

I know your works, and where you dwell; even where the throne of Satan is: and you hold fast my name, and have not denied my faith, even in those days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, that you have there, them who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.

You, in like manner, have those that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I hate.

Nevertheless, I have against you, that you permit that woman Jezebel, who says that she is a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

And I have given her time to reform from her fornication, and she reforms not.

But I say to you, even to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not hold this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will lay upon you no other burden.

Nevertheless, what you have, hold fast till I come.

and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, they shall be dashed in pieces like a potter's vessel: as I have also received of my Father.

And by the messenger of the congregation in Sardis, write: These things says he who has the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name that you live, but are dead.

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, which are ready to die: for I have not found your works filled up in the sight of God.

Remember, therefore, how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and reform: therefore, unless you are watchful, I will come upon you as thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.

But you have a few names in Sardis, who have not polluted their garments: and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it; because you have little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name.

Behold, I will give of those-who are of the assembly of Satan; who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold-I will make them to come and worship before your feet; and they shall know that I have loved you.

Because you have kept the word of my patience, I will also keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try the inhabitants of the earth.

I come quickly: keep that which you have, that no man take your crown.

Because you say, I am wealthy, and have enriched myself, and have need of nothing; and do not know that you are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

As for the conqueror, I will give him to sit down with me upon my throne; as I also have conquered, and sat down with my Father upon his throne.

And I beheld, in the middle space, between the throne and the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, there stood a Lamb, which seemed to have been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes; these are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.

saying, Injure not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God, in their foreheads.

And I said to him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they who have come out of much tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb:

And out of the smoke there came locusts upon the earth; and power was given to them, as scorpions of the earth have power.

And when the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven, saying, Seal up what the seven thunders have spoken, and write it not.

These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain shall be showered down in the days of their prophecy; they have power over the waters, to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth as often as they will, with every plague.

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the savage beast which ascends out of the abyss, shall make war against them, and shall conquer them, and kill them.

And they have overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to the death.

These are they who have not been polluted with women; for they are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, as the first fruits to God, and to the Lamb.

And the smoke of their torment ascends for ever and ever: and they have no rest, day nor night, who worship the beast, and his image; and whoever receives the mark of his name.

for they have poured forth the blood of saints, and prophets; and thou hast given them blood to drink-they are worthy.

with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and all the inhabitants of the earth have been drunk with the wine of her whoredom.

And the ten horns which you saw, are ten kings, which have not yet received their kingdom, but they shall receive authority with the beast, as kings at the same time.

These have one mind, and shall deliver their own power and authority to the beast.

for she has caused all the nations to drink of the wine of her raging whoredom; and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her, and the merchants of the earth have been enriched by the abundance of her luxuries.

for her sins have followed up to heaven, and her unrighteous actions are come up in remembrance before God.

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication, and lived in luxury with her, shall mourn and lament, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,