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.

Ye husbands, in like manner dwell with them discreetly, putting respect on the dear woman as being the weaker vessel, and as co-heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers may meet no interruption.

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 he that would love life, and see good days, let him restrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile.

And who will do you harm if ye be imitators of him that is good?

keeping a good conscience; that whereas they malign you, as evil doers, they may be confounded who take pleasure in ridiculing your good conduct in Christ.

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:

who in time of old were disobedient, when the long suffering of God in the days of Noe waited, while the ark was preparing, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were preserved through the water.

CHRIST then having suffered for us in the flesh, be ye also in mind armed for the same conflict: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinning;

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

wherein they think it a strange thing, that you are not running with them into the same gulph of profligacy, spreading every scandalous report of you:

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.

If any man speak, let it be agreeably to the oracles of God; if any man act as a deacon, let it be from the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.

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

And when the arch Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that will never fade away.

Humble yourselves therefore beneath the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due season:

against whom stand fast, firm in the faith, knowing that the very same sufferings are fully endured by the brotherhood which is in the world.

By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I think, I have written to you a few words, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye are standing fast.

Salute one another with a kiss of love. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

whereby superlatively great and precious promises are freely given to us: that by these ye might become partakers of a divine nature, having fled far away from the corruption that is in the world through inordinate concupiscence.??5 And for this very purpose employing the greatest diligence, lead up in the train of your faith courage; and with courage intelligence;

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.

knowing that the deposition of this frail tabernacle of mine is hastily approaching, as our Lord Jesus Christ hath made evident to me.

I will endeavour then that even after my decease, ye may always have wherewith to preserve the remembrance of these things.

Knowing this in the first place, that all scriptural prophecy is not from any man's own suggestions.

for by seeing and hearing, that righteous man whilst sojourning among them, suffered torment day by day in his righteous soul from their lawless doings;

Preaching liberty to them, while they themselves are the slaves of corruption: for by whatever a man is overcome, by that also he is enslaved.

to remember the words, that have been spoken aforetime by the holy prophets, and the injunction of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

knowing this principally, that in the last of the days there will come scoffers, walking after their own lewd passions,

For this they chuse to keep out of sight, that by the word of God the heavens were created of old, and the earth rising out of the water and subsisting amidst the water;

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.

Seeing then that all these things must be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in a course of holy conduct and acts of piety,

Ye therefore, beloved, knowing this before, be on your guard, that ye be not carried away with the delusion of these lawless men, and fall from your own stedfastness.

THAT which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have gazed upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life;

(for the life was manifested, and we have beheld it, and bear testimony, and declare unto you that life eternal, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us;)

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

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

And this is the promise which we have heard from him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and that darkness in him there is none.

If we say that we have communion with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and practise not the truth:

If we say that 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 dear children, these things I write to you, that ye should not sin. And if any of us sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

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

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

He who saith that he abideth in him, ought as he walked, even so himself to walk.

He who saith, that he is in the light, yet hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

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

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.

I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

My dear children, it is the last hour; and as ye have heard that antichrist is coming, even now there are many antichrists: by which we know it is the last hour.

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.

Let that abide in you therefore which ye have heard from the beginning. If that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning, ye also shall abide in the Son and in the Father.

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.

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

If ye know that he is righteous, know that every one who practises righteousness is born of him.

BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God! therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

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.

And ye know that he was manifested, that he might take away our sins; and in him there is no sin.

he that practises sin is of the devil; for from the beginning the devil sinneth. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

By this the children of God are manifestly seen, and the children of the devil. Every one that doth not practise righteousness, is not of God, and he that loveth not his brother.

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

We know that we are passed out of [a state of] death into life, because we love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Every one who hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath life eternal abiding in him.

and hereby we know that we are of the truth, and in his presence have this persuasion in our hearts.

And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him; and by this we know that he abideth in us, from the Spirit which he hath given us.

By this ye know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesseth that Jesus the Messiah is come in the flesh, is from God.

And every spirit who confesseth not that Jesus the Messiah is come into the world, is not from God: and this is that spirit of antichrist which ye have heard that it is coming, and now is already in the world.

Ye are of God, my dear children, and have overcome them; because he that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of delusion.

He that loveth not, never knew God; for God is love.

By this was the love of God manifested to us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might have life by him.

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.

By this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his own Spirit.

And we have seen and bear testimony, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.

And we have known and believed the love which God hath towards us. God is love; and he that abideth in love, abideth in God, and God in him.

By this is his love towards us perfected, that we might have confidence at the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world.

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.

So this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love also his brother.

EVERY one who believeth that Jesus is the Messiah, is born of God; and every one who loveth him that begat, loveth him also who is begotten by him.

Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this is the love of God, that we should keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome.

Because every one that is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world, except he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the testimony in himself; he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he hath not believed on the testimony which God testified of his Son.

And this is the testimony, that God hath given life eternal to us; and this life is in his Son.

He that hath the Son, hath this life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not this life.

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

And this is the confidence that we have towards him, that whatsoever we ask according to his will, he heareth us.

And if we know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we receive the petitions, which we have requested, from him.

If any person see his brother committing a sin not unto death, he shall request, and God will grant him life for those that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I say not that he should request for that.

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.

We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the power of that wicked one.

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.

I rejoiced greatly that I found thy children walking in truth, as we have received commandment from the Father.