Be sure of that, my beloved brothers. Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to talk, slow to be angry ??20 for human anger does not promote divine righteousness;

But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.

Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow.

Come now, you rich people, weep aloud and howl over the miseries that are sure to overtake you.

But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

let the [latter] one know that the one who has turned a sinner from the error of his way will save that one’s soul from death and cover a multitude of sins [that is, obtain the pardon of the many sins committed by the one who has been restored].

in which ye are glad, a little now, if it be necessary, being made to sorrow in manifold trials,

The sorrow comes in order that the testing of your faith--being more precious than that of gold, which perishes and yet is proved by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the re-appearing of Jesus Christ.

For so also formerly the holy women, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being submissive to their husbands; as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him her lord:

Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

But instead, set aside a place in your hearts where Christ is [in full control as] Lord, and be prepared always to give a suitable reply to every person who asks you for a reason why you have an inner hope. But [be sure you do it] in a meek and respectful way, however.

If someone's gift is speaking, he should [be sure to] say only what God wants him to. If a person's gift is serving, he should do so by the strength provided by God [who supplies all such gifts]. This is so that, in using all gifts, God may be honored through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs honor and power forever and ever. May it be so.

Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

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.

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

and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked

(for when that righteous man resided among them, by what he saw and heard his righteous soul was vexed day after day with their unlawful doings) ??9 then be sure the Lord knows how to rescue pious folk from trial, and how to keep the unrighteous under punishment till the day of doom,

then [in light of the fact that all this is true, be sure that] the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and how to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,

This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands.

But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him:

Children, it is the last hour. You have learned that 'Antichrist is coming.' Well, but many antichrists have appeared ??which makes us sure it is the last hour.

If you know that He is absolutely righteous, you know [for certain] that everyone who practices righteousness [doing what is right and conforming to God’s will] has been born of Him.

Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;

Thus it is that we may be sure we belong to the truth and reassure ourselves

The person who keeps his commandments abides in God, and God abides in him. This is how we can be sure that he remains in us: he has given us his Spirit.

This is how we may be sure we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us a share in his own Spirit;

This is how we are sure that we love God's children, by loving God and obeying his commands

(Added verse not retained in Sawyer)

Now if we admit the testimony of men, sure the testimony of God is greater: and this is the testimony of God, which He hath testified concerning his Son.

I have written in this way to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may be sure you have life eternal.

This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us.

And if we know that he listens to our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask him for.

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—

Now I ask you, lady, not as if I were writing to you a new commandment, but [simply reminding you of] the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.

Look out for yourselves, take care not to lose what we have worked for, but make sure that you are paid for it in full.

you should save others [from hell, as though you were] snatching them out of the fire. And you should show pity toward some people, [coupled] with a fear [of the consequences of sin], hating the clothing contaminated by a physical sore [i.e., hating sin so much as to avoid it at all costs].

Lo, I will lay her on a sickbed, and bring her paramours into sore distress, if they do not repent of her practices;

To all those who are dear to me, I give sharp words and punishment: then with all your heart have sorrow for your evil ways.

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

So, I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will be sweet as honey to your taste, but will cause you to have a sour stomach."

So, I took the little book from the angel's hand and ate it. And [sure enough], it was sweet as honey to my taste, but after eating it, it gave me a sour stomach.

And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast, and his kingdom waxed dark, and they gnawed their tongues for sorrow,

and blasphemed the God of heaven for sorrow, and pain of their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

And there fell a great hail, as it had been talents, out of heaven upon the men; and the men blasphemed God, because of the plague of the hail, for it was great and the plague of it sore.

How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

because of this, in one day, shall come her plagues, death, and sorrow, and famine; and in fire she shall be utterly burned, because strong is the Lord God who is judging her;

Watching from far away, for fear of her punishment, saying, Sorrow, sorrow for Babylon, the great town, the strong town! for in one hour you have been judged.

'And the merchants of the earth shall weep and sorrow over her, because their lading no one doth buy any more;

Saying, Sorrow, sorrow for the great town, she who was clothed in delicate linen, and purple, and red; with ornaments of gold and stones of great price and jewels!

And they put dust on their heads, and were sad, weeping and crying, and saying, Sorrow, sorrow for the great town, in which was increased the wealth of all who had their ships on the sea because of her great stores! for in one hour she is made waste.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.