Wherefore, though I have in Christ great liberty to enjoin thee what is becoming,

I rather for love's sake entreat, being such as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner for Jesus Christ.

There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Amen.

WHEREFORE, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, contemplate the apostle and high-priest whom ye confess, Jesus Christ;

but Christ as a son over his own house: whose house are we, if we hold firmly the confidence and glorying of hope stedfast unto the end.

For we are partakers with Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end;

So Christ also did not himself assume the glory to become high-priest, but he [gave it] who spake to him, "Thou art my Son; I have this day begotten thee."

WHEREFORE, desisting from initiatory discourse respecting Christ, let us advance towards perfection; not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works, and faith in God,

But now hath Christ obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as he is the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been established on better promises.

But Christ becoming the high-priest of future good things, through a better and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation;

how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, by the eternal Spirit, offered up himself in sacrifice without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, that we may perform divine service to the living God?

For Christ is not entered into the holies made with hands, the antitypes of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the presence of God for us:

so Christ having been once offered in sacrifice to bear the sins of men, will appear the second time without sin, to those who expect him, for their salvation.

By the which will we are sanctified through the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.

esteeming the reproach of Christ riches greater than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked earnestly to the recompence of reward.

Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

make you fit for every good work to do his will, producing in you that which is acceptable in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory unto the everlasting ages. Amen.

JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are dispersed, greeting.

PETER, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the sojourners, dispersed through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by sanctification of the Spirit, that they might be brought to the obedience, and sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ: grace unto you and peace be multiplied.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto an animating hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

that the test of your faith (much more precious than that of gold, which is of a perishing nature, though proved by fire) may be found unto praise and honour and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ:

investigating to what time and to what conjuncture the Spirit of Christ in them pointed, when predicting the sufferings coming upon Christ, and the glories subsequent thereto.

Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, vigilant, wait with assured hope for the grace, which shall be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

but by the precious blood of Christ, as the unblemished and spotless lamb:

ye also, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, well pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

For hereunto have ye been called, because Christ also hath suffered for you, leaving you a pattern, that ye should follow his steps;

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:

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:

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;

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.

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.

THE presbyters among you I exhort, who am a co-presbyter and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory which shall be revealed:

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.

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

SIMON Peter, the servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained with us the same precious faith by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:

For if these things are in your possession, and abounding, they will render you neither inactive nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

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

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 if having escaped from the defilements of the world by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again enveloped by them and overcome, their last deeds are worse than the first.

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.

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.

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.

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:

By this we have known the love [of Christ], because for us he laid down his own life: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

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.

grace, mercy, peace be with you from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Every one that transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, this man holdeth both the Father and the Son.

JUDE a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are sanctified in God the Father, and preserved by Jesus Christ, the called:

For certain men have craftily introduced themselves, who were from of old proscribed for this condemnation, ungodly men, changing the grace of God into impurity, and denying our only sovereign God and Lord, Jesus Christ.

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

preserve yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

THE revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to shew to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass; and sending by his angel, he shewed them to his servant John:

who was a witness for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ, and for the things which he saw.

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, and first-born from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth: to him who loved us, and washed us from our sins by his blood,

I John, your brother and companion also with you in the tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the island which is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

And I heard a great voice saying in the heaven, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; because the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night.

And the dragon was incensed against the woman, and went forth to make war against the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ.

And I saw thrones, and persons were seated upon them, and authority to judge was given to them: and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and who had not worshipped the beast, nor his image, and had not received the brand in their foreheads, and upon their right hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

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.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.