as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for wicked practices; but as being servants of God.

Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but even to the froward.

For what glory would there be, if committing faults, and being buffeted, ye suffered patiently? but if, when ye behave well, yet suffer, ye bear it patiently, this is graciously accepted of God.

who, when reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he used no menaces; but referred himself to him who judgeth righteously:

For ye were as sheep wandering astray; but are now returned unto the pastor and bishop of your souls.

but let it be the hidden man of the heart, with that incorruptible ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God highly valuable.

not returning evil for evil, or railing for railing; but, contrariwise, wishing men every blessing; knowing that hereunto ye have been called, that ye should inherit the [divine] benediction.

For the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears open to their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against those who practise wicked things.

But if ye should even suffer for righteousness, blessed are ye: be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled,

but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be always ready with your reply to every man who demands a reason respecting the hope which is in you with meekness and fear:

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, put to death indeed in the flesh, but raised to life by the Spirit:

The antitype to which baptism now saveth us (not the mere removal of filth from the flesh, but the engagement of a good conscience to God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

that he might not spend the remaining space of life in the flesh after human passions, but the divine will.

For to this end was the gospel preached to those that are dead, that they might be judged indeed in the flesh according to the will of men, but live in spirit according to the will of God.

But the end of all things is near: be ye therefore sober-minded, and vigilant in prayers.

But above all things have fervent love towards each other: for love will conceal a multitude of faults.

but as ye share in the sufferings of Christ rejoice, that at the revelation of his glory also ye may hail him with exultations.

If ye suffer reproach for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: by them indeed he is blasphemed, but by you he is glorified.

But if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him give glory to God on this very account.

feed the flock of God which is among you, exercising your pastoral office not of necessity, but of choice, not for base gain, but with alacrity of mind;

not as domineering over your allotted congregations, but as being examples of the flock.

In like manner, ye who are younger persons, be in subjection to your elders: but all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed from head to foot with humility: for God sets himself in opposition to the proud, but he giveth grace to the lowly.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, when ye have suffered a little while, himself perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

But he that hath no possession of these things, is blind, dim-sighted, sinking into oblivion of his purification from the sins of his former days.

but an entrance will thus be richly afforded you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

For we have not followed artfully devised fables, when we made known to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty.

For prophecy in old time came not by the will of man: but the holy men of God spake under the impulse of the Holy Ghost.

BUT there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers also among you, who wickedly introduce damnable heresies, and deny the sovereign Lord who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

For if God spared not the angels when they sinned, but casting them bound in chains of darkness into hell, delivered them to be kept fast until the judgment;

and spared not the old world, but guarded safely Noah the eighth person, the preacher of righteousness, when he brought a deluge on the world of the ungodly:

but righteous Lot, afflicted grievously with the infamously impure conduct of those lawless men, he plucked out:

the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, but to reserve the wicked unto the day of judgment to be punished:

But these men, as the naturally irrational brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil of the things of which they are ignorant, will perish by their own corruption;

But received a reproof for his peculiar transgression: the dumb ass articulating with a human voice restrained the perverseness of the prophet.

But the true proverb is verified in them, The dog hath returned to his own vomit; and the sow which was washed to its wallowing in the mire.

but the present heavens and earth by the same word are treasured up, reserved for fire at the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

But let not this particular be concealed from you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord doth not delay the promise (as some count it delay); but is longsuffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should have space for repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief by night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a rushing noise, and the first principles of matter in flames dissolve, and the earth and all the works upon it be burnt up.

But we expect according to his promise new heavens and a new earth in which dwelleth righteousness.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.

but if we walk in the light, as he is himself in the light, we have communion with each other, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

and he himself is the propitiatory victim for our sins: and indeed not for ours only, but for the whole world.

But whosoever keepeth his word, verily in him is the love of God perfected: by this we know that we are in him.

Brethren, I write not a new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he is departing, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.

For every thing which is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pomp of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world is passing away, and the lust thereof, but he who doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they departed, that they might be made manifest that they are not all of us:

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

Who is the liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Messiah? This man is the antichrist, who denieth the Father and the Son.

Every one that denieth the Son, neither doth he hold the Father; but he that acknowledgeth the Son, holdeth the Father also.

But the unction which ye have received from him abideth in you; and ye need not that any person should instruct you. But as the same unction teacheth you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie; and as it hath taught you, abide in him.

Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it is not yet evident what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is.

But whosoever hath worldly abundance, and seeth his brother under necessity, and shutteth his bowels of compassion against him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

My dear children, let us not love in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth;

BELOVED, believe not every pretender to inspiration, but bring these spirits to the trial whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone forth into the world.

Herein is love, not that we have loved God, but that he hath loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiatory sacrifice for our sins.

Fear is not in this love; but the perfect love casteth out fear: for fear hath anguish. He that is afraid is not made perfect in love.

This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus the Messiah; not by the water only, but by the water and the blood: and the Spirit is the witnessing person, because the Spirit is the truth.

We know that every one who is born of God sinneth not; but he that is born of God preserveth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not.

But we know that the Son of God hath come, and hath given to us understanding, that we might know the true God; and we are in him that is true, in his Son Jesus the Messiah. HE is the true God, and the life eternal.

THE presbyter to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all who have known the truth:

And now I beseech thee, lady, not as writing to thee a new commandment, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we should love one another.

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

Having many things to write unto you, I would not do it with paper and ink; but I hope to come unto you, and speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be complete.

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who affects pre-eminence over them, receiveth us not.

Beloved, be not an imitator of what is evil, but of that which is good. He that doeth good is of God, but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

I had many things to write; but I would not write to thee with ink and pen:

but I hope shortly to see thee, and we shall speak mouth to mouth. Peace be to thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.

But I would remind you, though ye once knew this, that the Lord, though he delivered the people out of the land of Egypt, afterwards destroyed those who believed not.

And the angels who preserved not their own primitive state, but deserted their proper abode, hath he reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.

Though Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not to produce a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

But these men speak evil even of the things of which they have no knowledge: but such things as they know naturally, as the brute beasts, in these they corrupt themselves.

But ye, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,

But ye, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying by the Holy Ghost,

Remember then from whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and practise thy first works; but if not, I am coming to thee quickly, and I will remove thy lamp out of its place, except thou repent.

But this thou holdest, that thou abhorrest the deeds of the Nicolatans, which I also abhor.

I know thy works, and thy tribulation, and thy poverty (though thou art rich), and the calumnies of those who say they are Jews, yet are not, but are Satan's synagogue.

Repent! but if not, I am coming to thee quickly, and will war against them with the sword of my mouth.

But to you I say, and to the rest that are at 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 them no other burden.

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; because thou hast but little strength, yet hast thou kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Behold, I give thee out of Satan's synagogue those who say they are Jews, yet they are not, but do lie. Lo! I will make them that they shall come and prostrate themselves at thy feet, and they shall know that I have loved thee.

And it was told them, Hurt not the grass of the earth, nor any herb, nor any tree, but only those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

And it was given them in charge that they should not kill these men outright, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment is as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man.

but that in the days of the blast of the seventh angel, when he shall sound, then shall the mystery of God be completed, as he spake by his own servants the prophets.

But the exterior court of the temple leave out, and measure it not; because it is given to the Gentiles: and they shall trample under foot the holy city forty-two months.

Therefore be exceeding glad ye heavens, and ye who dwell in them. Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.

and that no man may buy or sell, but he that hath the mark impressed, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

and they sang as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living beings, and the presbyters: and no person could learn that song, but the hundred forty-four thousand, who were redeemed from the earth.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforward: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may have rest from their labours; but their works follow after them.

And these are seven kings: five have fallen, and the one exists, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must abide but a little while.

And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings, who have not yet received their kingdoms; but will receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast.

And his eyes were as a flame of fire, and upon his head were many diadems; and he hath a name inscribed which no man knoweth but himself.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years are completed. This is the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; over these the second death hath no dominion: but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years.

But to those who shrink back through fear, and to the infidels, and to the abominable, and to murderers, and to whoremongers, and to those who use magical incantations, and to idolaters, and to all liars, is their portion [appointed] in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

And there shall no more enter into it any thing unclean, or that practises abomination and lying; but only those who are written in the book of life of the Lamb.

But without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and every one who loveth and maketh a lie.