Forasmuch as ye know how that ye were not redeemed with corruptible gold and silver from your vain conversation, which ye received by the traditions of the fathers,

Which, by his means, have believed on God that raised him from death, and glorified him, that your faith and hope might be in God.

And forasmuch as ye have purified your souls through the spirit, in obeying the truth for to love brotherly without feigning, see that ye love one another with a pure heart, fervently:

and as newborn babes desire that reasonable milk which is without corruption, that ye may be grown therein.

If so be that ye have tasted how pleasant the Lord is,

Wherefore it is contained in the scripture, "Behold, I put in Zion a head cornerstone, elect and precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

and a stone to stumble at, and a rock to offend them which stumble at the word, and believe not that whereon they were set.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people, that ye should show the virtues of him that called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,

and see that ye have honest conversation among the gentiles, that they which backbite you as evil doers, may see your good works and praise God in the day of visitation.

other unto rulers, as unto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers: but for the laud of them that well do.

For so is the will of God, that ye put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men:

See that ye honour all men. Love brotherly fellowship, fear God, and honour the King.

For hereunto verily were ye called, for Christ also suffered for us: leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps,

which when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not: but committed the cause to him that judgeth righteously,

which his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we should be delivered from sin and should live in righteousness. By whose stripes ye were healed.

Likewise, let the wives be in subjection to their husbands, that even they which believe not the word, may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives:

Likewise, ye men, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as unto them that are heirs also of the grace of life, that your prayers be not let.

not rendering evil for evil, neither rebuke for rebuke: but contrariwise, bless: remembering that ye are thereunto called, even that ye should be heirs of blessing.

If any man long after life, and loveth to see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, that they speak not guile:

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord beholdeth them that do evil.

Moreover, who is it that will harm you if ye follow that which is good?

but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that with meekness and fear:

having a good conscience, that when they backbite you as evil doers, they may be ashamed, forasmuch as they have falsely accused your good conversation in Christ.

It is better - if the will of God be so - that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

In which spirit, he also went and preached unto the spirits that were in prison,

which were in time past disobedient, when the long suffering of God abode exceeding patiently in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few - that is to say eight souls - were saved by water,

which signifieth baptism that now saveth us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but in that a good conscience consenteth to God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

that he henceforward should live as much time as remaineth in the flesh, not after the lusts of men: but after the will of God.

For it is sufficient for us that we have spent the time that is past of the life, after the will of the gentiles; walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in eating, drinking, and in abominable idolatry.

And it seemeth to them a strange thing that ye run not also with them unto the same excess of riot, and therefore speak they evil of you,

which shall give accounts to him that is ready to judge quick and dead.

For unto this purpose, verily, was the gospel preached unto the dead; that they should be condemned of men in the flesh, but should live before God in the spirit.

The end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore discreet, and sober, that ye may be apt to prayers.

Be ye harborous, one to another, and that without grudging.

If any man speak, let him talk as though he spake the words of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God ministereth unto him. That God, in all things, may be glorified through Jesus Christ: to whom be praise and dominion forever and while the world standeth. Amen.

but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's passions, that when his glory appeareth, ye may be merry and glad.

See that none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or an evil doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. If it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them which believe not the gospel of God?

Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit their souls to him with well doing, as unto a faithful creator.

The elders which are among you I exhort, which am also an elder and a witness of the afflictions of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be opened:

see that ye feed Christ's flock, which is among you, taking the oversight of them: not as though ye were compelled thereto, but willingly; Not for the desire of filthy lucre, but of a good mind.

Not as though ye were lords over the parishes: but that ye be an example to the flock.

Submit yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you, when the time is come.

whom resist, steadfast in the faith, remembering that ye do but fulfill the same afflictions which are appointed to your brethren that are in the world.

By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, have I written briefly, exhorting and testifying how that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand.

The companions of your election that are of Babylon, saluteth you, and Mark my son.

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them which have obtained like precious faith with us in the righteousness that cometh of our God and saviour Jesus Christ.

According as his godly power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us by virtue and glory:

by the means whereof are given unto us excellent and most great promises; that by the help of them ye should be partakers of the godly nature, in that ye flee the corruption of worldly lust.

For if these things be among you, and are plenteous, they will make you that ye neither shall be idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he that lacketh these things is blind and gropeth for the way with his hand, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of such things, though that ye know them yourselves and be also established in the present truth.

forasmuch as I am sure how that the time is at hand that I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me.

I will enforce, therefore, that on every side ye might have wherewith to stir up the remembrance of these things after my departing.

Even then, verily, when he received of God the father honour and glory, and when there came such a voice to him from that excellent glory. "This is my dear beloved son, in whom I have delight" -

We have also a right sure word of prophecy, whereunto if ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, ye do well; until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.

So that ye first know this: That no prophecy in the scripture hath any private interpretation.

There were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you: which privily shall bring in damnable sects, even denying the Lord that hath bought them, and bring upon themselves swift damnation.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down into hell, and delivered them in chains of darkness, to be kept unto judgement;

and turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, overthrew them, damned them, and made of them an example unto all that after should live ungodly;

namely, them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise the rulers. Presumptuous are they, and stubborn, and fear not to speak evil of them that are in authority;

But these, as brute beasts, naturally made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of that they know not, and shall perish through their own destruction,

having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease to sin, beguiling unstable souls. Hearts they have exercised with covetousness. They are cursed children,

For when they have spoken the swelling words of vanity, they beguile with wantonness through the lusts of the flesh them that were clean escaped: but now are wrapped in errors.

It is happened unto them according to the true proverb, "The dog is turned to his vomit again, and the sow that was washed, is returned to her wallowing in the mire."

This is the second epistle that I now write unto you, my dearly beloved, wherewith I stir up and warn your pure minds,

This first understand: that there shall come in the last days mockers, which will walk after their own lusts

This they know not - and that willingly: how that the heavens a great while ago were, and the earth that was in the water appeared up out of the water by the word of God:

by the which things the world that then was perished, overflowen with the water.

Dearly beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, how that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Nevertheless, the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which day, the heavens shall perish with terrible noise, and the elements shall melt with heat, and the earth, with the works that are therein, shall burn.

Wherefore, dearly beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and undefiled:

And suppose that the long suffering of the Lord is salvation, even as our dearly beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given unto him, wrote to you,

yea, almost in every epistle, speaking of such things: among which are many things hard to be understood: which they that are unlearned and unstable pervert, as they do other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

That which was from the beginning, declare we unto you; which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life.

For the life appeared: and we have seen, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the father, and appeared unto us.

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye may have fellowship with us, and that our fellowship may be with the father, and his son Jesus Christ.

And these things we write unto you, that your joy may be full.

And this is the tidings which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and yet walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

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

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye should sin not: if, though, any man sin, yet we have an Advocate with the father, even Jesus Christ, which is righteous.

And he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins; and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of all the world.

And hereby we are sure that we know him: if we keep his commandments.

He that saith, "I know him," and yet keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the verity is not in him.

He that keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfect, indeed. And hereby know we that we are in him.

He that saith he bideth in him, ought to walk even as he walked.

He that saith how that he is in the light, and yet hateth his brother, is in darkness even until this time.

He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of offending in him.

And he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness; and knoweth not whither he goeth, for darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Babes, I write unto you how that your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

I write unto you fathers, how that ye have known him that was from the beginning. I write unto you young men, how that ye have overcome the wicked. I write unto you young children, how that ye know the father.

I write unto you fathers, how that ye have known him that was from the beginning. I write unto you young men, how that ye be strong; and the word of God dwelleth in you, that ye have overcome the wicked.

See that ye love not the world, nor the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him.

For all that is in the world - as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of goods - are not of the father: but of the world.

And the world vanisheth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God, abideth ever.

Little children it is now the last time, and as ye have heard how that antichrist shall come: even now are there many antichrists come already, whereby we know that it is the last time.

They went out of us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But that fortuned, that it might appear that they were not of us.

I wrote not unto you, as though ye knew not the truth: but as unto them them that know it, and know also how that no lie cometh of truth.

Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is Christ? The same is the antichrist that denieth the father and the son.