while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze!

For this reason, my loved ones, as you are looking for these things, take great care that when he comes you may be in peace before him, free from sin and every evil thing.

Regard our Lord's forbearance as your one hope of Salvation. This is what our dear Brother Paul wrote to you, with the wisdom that God gave him.

speaking about these things as he does in all of his letters. In which there are some things that are difficult to understand, which the untaught and unstable [who have fallen into error] twist and misinterpret, just as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

For this reason, my loved ones, having knowledge of these things before they take place, take care that you are not turned away by the error of the uncontrolled, so falling from your true faith.

This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life --

Truly, this "Life" was made known to us and we have [actually] seen it [i.e., Him], and so we testify and proclaim to you [that He is] "the Eternal Life," who was with the Father and was made known to us [apostles].

I repeat, it is what we have seen and heard that we now announce to you, so that you too may share this fellowship with us, for this fellowship that we have is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ;

And we are writing all this to you that our joy may be complete.

And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

My children, I am writing this to you that you may not continue to sin; but if any one sin, we ever have a Comforter before the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

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

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

But whoever keeps his word, truly in this man the love of God is fully perfected. By this we know that we are in him.

My loved ones, I do not give you a new law, but an old law which you had from the first; this old law is the word which came to your ears.

Yet, I am [also] writing to you about a new commandment [Note: This commandment was to love one another as Jesus loved them. See John 13:34]; its truth is [being demonstrated] by Christ [perfectly] and [also] by you people [in a lesser measure], because the darkness [of sin] is passing away, and the real light [of righteousness] is already shining [in people's lives].

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

You should not love the [godless] world, nor the things [i.e., the materialistic values] that are part of this [present] age. If any person loves the world, a [genuine] love for the Father is not in his heart.

because this is all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you were given word that the Antichrist would come, so now a number of Antichrists have come to you; and by this we are certain that it is the last hour.

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

I have not sent you this letter because you have no knowledge of what is true, but because you have knowledge, and because that which is false has nothing in common with that which is true.

Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denieth the Father and the Son.

And this is the promise which he promised us, even the life eternal.

I write you this with reference to those who are trying to lead you astray,

And this is important to you: The "special gift," which you received from God [See verse 20], continues to live in your hearts, [so that] you do not need anyone to teach you [anything different]. But, since this same "special gift" teaches you concerning everything that is true, and [what it teaches] is not false, you should continue to live in [fellowship with] Christ.

If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him.

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Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and'such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

beloved, we are now the sons of God, tho' it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when this change shall be, his immediate presence will give us a divine resemblance.

And every one that hath this hope'set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:

By this we know love, because that man laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

But if a man has this world's goods, and sees that his brother is in need, and keeps his heart shut against his brother, how is it possible for the love of God to be in him?

And by this we know that we are of the truth, and will assure our hearts before him.

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

And he who keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, from the Spirit that he gave us.

By this ye know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ having come in flesh is of God,

and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the'spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.

They are of the world. Because of this they speak of the world, and the world hears them.

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

By this the love of God was made known in us, because God sent his Son, the only begotten, into the world so that we might live through him.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son, an atonement for our sins.

Beloved! If, in this way, God, loved us, we also, ought to love, one another.

In this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us from his Spirit.

Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even 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.

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

By this 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 keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith.

This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.

The Spirit is the witness to this, for the Spirit is truth.

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his Son.

Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his own heart. Whoever does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has borne to His Son.

And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

The person who has the Son [in his heart] possesses this "life;" the one who does not have the Son of God does not possess this "life."

I have written this to you who believe in the person of the Son of God, so that you may know that you already have eternal life.

And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:

If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request.

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

The elder [of the church addresses this letter] to the elect (chosen) lady and her children, whom I love in truth—and not only I, but also all who know and understand the truth—

Because of this true knowledge which is in us, and will be with us for ever:

And this is love, that we should walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, even as ye heard from the beginning, that ye should walk in it.

For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

This is the seducer and the antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not the things we have wrought, but receive a full reward.

Every man transgressing, and not abiding in the doctrine of the Christ, does not have God. The man abiding in the doctrine of the Christ, this man has both the Father and the Son.

If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting:

The elder [of the church addresses this letter] to the beloved and esteemed Gaius, whom I love in truth.

Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

Dear friend, you are showing faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers.

Because of this, if I come, I will remember his works that he does, prating against us with evil words. And not being satisfied in these, he himself does not even accept the brothers, and he forbids those who would, and expels them

Demetrius has received a good report from everyone, including the truth itself. We, too, can testify to this report, and you know that our testimony is true.

Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, [writes this letter],

To those who are the called (God’s chosen ones, the elect), dearly loved by God the Father, and kept [secure and set apart] for Jesus Christ:

For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

My mind is therefore to put you in remembrance, forasmuch as ye once know this, how that the Lord - after that he had delivered the people out of Egypt - destroyed them which afterward believed not:

But, when the ruling angel Michael disputed with the devil over [the final disposal of] the body of Moses, [even] he did not dare to bring derogatory charges against him [i.e., the devil], but said, "May the Lord rebuke you." [Note: Some suggest that this account appeared in an apocryphal book, possibly "The Assumption of Moses"].

These people are like rotten spots [contaminating the food] at your love feasts, while they gorge themselves without fear [i.e., unashamed of their selfish indulgence]. [Note: This passage may mean "like selfish shepherds, looking out only for themselves, they eat the grain set out for the animals"]. They are like clouds that blow over without producing rain; [they are like] trees in the fall that do not produce any fruit and have been uprooted, [thus] being dead twice [i.e., fruitless and rootless].

This is the revelation of Jesus Christ [His unveiling of the divine mysteries], which God [the Father] gave to Him to show to His bond-servants (believers) the things which must soon take place [in their entirety]; and He sent and communicated it by His angel (divine messenger) to His bond-servant John,

who testified about this message from God and the testimony about Jesus the Messiah.

Blessed be the man who reads them and the people who hear the messages of this prophecy read, and heed what is written in it, for the time is near.

[This book is from] John [and is being sent] to the seven churches that are in Asia [Note: This refers to the province of Asia Minor, a part of present-day Turkey]. May there be unearned favor and peace to you from God, the One who is [in the present], who was [in the past] and who will come [in the future], and from the seven spirits that are in front of God's throne [Note: Because the number "seven" was regarded as the number of perfection by the Jews, it is thought that this refers to the Holy Spirit].

Look! He is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see Him,
including those who pierced Him.
And all the families of the earth
will mourn over Him.
This is certain. Amen.

Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this.

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks, is this. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks are the seven churches."

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: "This is what the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand says, the one who walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands:

But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love.

But this thou hast, because thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans; which deeds I also hate.

"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: "This is what the first and the last says, who was dead and came to life:

"And to the messenger of the congregation in Pergamum write, 'This saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges.

"And unto the messenger of the congregation of Thyatira write, 'This saith the son of God, which hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, whose feet are like brass:

But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Unto you I say, and unto others of them of Thyatira, as many as have not this learning, and which have not known the deepness of Satan, as they say; I will put upon you none other burden,

Nevertheless, hold on firmly to what you [already] have [i.e., the qualities mentioned in verse 19] until I come [Note: This probably refers to coming with judgment on wrongdoing. See verse 16].

"And to the person who has victory [in the Christian life], and who continues to do what I want until the end [of his life], I will give him authority over the nations [Note: This probably refers to a spiritual reign with Christ during the Christian age. See 20:4].

and he will shepherd them with an iron scepter;
he will shatter them like pottery—

just as I have received this from My Father.

at this point]. [His authority will be] like that which I have received from my Father.

And write unto the messenger of the congregation of Sardis, 'This saith he that hath the spirit of God, and the seven stars. I know thy works, thou hast a name that you livest, and thou are dead.

He who overcomes, this man will be clothed in white garments, and I will, no, not erase his name out of the book of life. And I will acknowledge his name before my Father, and before his agents.