Women received back their dear ones alive from the dead; and others were put to death with torture, refusing the deliverance offered to them--that they might secure a better resurrection.

Now if you are exempt from correction and without discipline, in which all [of God’s children] share, then you are illegitimate children and not sons [at all].

It is true that they disciplined us for a few years according as they thought fit; but He does it for our certain good, in order that we may become sharers in His own holy character.

'tis true, all correction at first is far from appearing agreeable, yet afterward it produces the agreeable fruits of virtue in those who are exercised thereby.

Marriage is to be held in honor among all [that is, regarded as something of great value], and the marriage bed undefiled [by immorality or by any sexual sin]; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

You must not be carried away with strange varieties of teaching. The true way to steadfastness of heart is through God's mercy, not through scruples about food, which have never done their adherents any good.

Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position [as a born-again believer, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God];

Do not be deceived, my dear brothers.

Every good and true thing is given to us from heaven, coming from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or any shade made by turning.

Of his purpose he gave us being, by his true word, so that we might be, in a sense, the first-fruits of all the things which he had made.

Understand [this], my dear brothers: every person must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

for he that is not dispassionate is a stranger to the practice of true virtue.

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Listen, my dear brothers! Did not God choose the poor of the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

And that in this way the words of Scripture came true-- "Abraham believed God, and that was regarded by God as righteousness," and "He was called the friend of God."

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him by his good conduct show his [good] deeds with the gentleness and humility of true wisdom.

But if you have bitter envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true.

But the [true] wisdom, which is from [God] above, is first of all pure, then peace-loving, patient and easily persuaded. [It is] full of mercy and produces a crop of good deeds; [it is] impartial [or, unwavering] and sincere.

Therefore draw nigh unto God; and resist the devil, and he will flee from you:

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom.

Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

My brothers, if one of you has gone out of the way of the true faith and another has made him see his error,

So that the true metal of your faith, being of much greater value than gold (which, though it comes to an end, is tested by fire), may come to light in praise and glory and honour, at the revelation of Jesus Christ:

For so you have the true end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth.

For He was foreordained (foreknown) before the foundation of the world, but has appeared [publicly] in these last times for your sake

And as you have made your souls clean, being ruled by what is true, and loving one another without deceit, see that your love is warm and from the heart:

Be full of desire for the true milk of the word, as babies at their mothers' breasts, so that you may go on to salvation;

This precious value, then, is for you who believe [in Him as God’s only Son—the Source of salvation]; but for those who disbelieve,“The [very] stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief Cornerstone,”

Dear friends, I urge [you] as foreigners and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires which wage war against your soul,

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

For after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselves, and were obedient to their husbands,

just as Sarah obeyed Abraham [following him and having regard for him as head of their house], calling him lord. And you have become her daughters if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear [that is, being respectful toward your husband but not giving in to intimidation, nor allowing yourself to be led into sin, nor to be harmed].

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.

which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

Making distribution among one another of whatever has been given to you, like true servants of the unmeasured grace of God;

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, [when it] takes place to test you, as [if] [something] strange were happening to you.

For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters:

I urge you to be true shepherds of the flock of God among you, not because you are compelled, but of your own free will; not from a base love of gain, but with a ready spirit;

By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: "This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted."

Many will follow their shameful ways, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned.

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,

Having eyes full of evil desire, never having enough of sin; turning feeble souls out of the true way; they are children of cursing, whose hearts are well used to bitter envy;

Turning out of the true way, they have gone wandering in error, after the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who was pleased to take payment for wrongdoing;

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Dear friends, this [is] already the second letter I am writing to you, in [both of] which I am attempting to stir up your sincere mind by a reminder,

Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your [notice], that one day with the Lord [is] like a thousand years, and a thousand years [is] like one day.

Therefore, dear friends, [because you] are waiting for these [things], make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and unblemished in him.

And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him,

Therefore, dear friends, [because you] know [this] beforehand, guard yourselves so that you do not lose your own safe position [because you] have been led away by the error of lawless persons.

but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

If we say that we have no sin, we are false to ourselves and there is nothing true in us.

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].

Dear children, I write thus to you in order that you may not sin. If any one sins, we have an Advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ the righteous;

The man who says, I have knowledge of him, and does not keep his laws, is false, and there is nothing true in him:

but he that observes his precepts, loves God with a true and perfect love: 'tis by this we know that we are truly christians.

Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the message which you have heard.

Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

I am writing to you, dear children, because for His sake your sins are forgiven you.

I have written to you little children [i.e., dear ones], because you have known the Father [as your God]. I have written to you fathers, because you have known Him [i.e., Christ], [who has existed] from the beginning. [See verse 13]. I have written to you young men, because you are [spiritually] strong and the word of God continues to live in your hearts, and you have overcome the [power of the] evil one [See verse 13].

Dear children, the last hour has come; and as you once heard that there was to be an anti-Christ, so even now many anti-Christs have appeared. By this we may know that the last hour has come.

From us, it is true, they went out, but they had never belonged to us; for, if they had belonged to us, they would have remained among us. They left us that it might be made clear that they do not, any of them, belong to 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.

I am writing these things to you about those whose purpose is that you may be turned out of the true way.

And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you; concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him.

And now, dear children, continue in union with Him; so that, if He re-appears, we may have perfect confidence, and may not shrink away in shame from His presence at His Coming.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.

Dear children, let no one lead you astray. The man who acts righteously is righteous, just as He is righteous.

Dear children, let us not love in words only nor with the lips, but in deed and in truth.

In this way we may be certain that we are true, and may give our heart comfort before him,

Dear friends, if our heart does not condemn [us], we have confidence before God,

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits [to determine] if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

As for you, dear children, you are God's children, and have successfully resisted them; for greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

We are of God: he who has the knowledge of God gives ear to us; he who is not of God does not give ear to us. By this we may see which is the true spirit, and which is the spirit of error.

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God.

In this way is seen the true love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

There is no fear in love: true love has no room for fear, because where fear is, there is pain; and he who is not free from fear is not complete in love.

For the [true] love of God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments and remain focused on His precepts. And His commandments and His precepts are not difficult [to obey].

for he that is a true christian, overcomes the world: by obtaining faith, we have gain'd a victory over the world.

And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is true.

If we take the witness of men to be true, the witness of God is greater: because this is the witness which God has given about his Son.

we know that a true christian will not commit such a sin, for he that is the child of God keeps upon his guard, so that the wicked spirit does not approach him.

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may 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.

Dear children, guard yourselves from idols.

I, a ruler in the church, send word to the noble sister who is of God's selection, and to her children, for whom I have true love; and not only I, but all who have knowledge of what is true;

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

May grace, mercy, and peace be with us from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in all true love.

It is an intense joy to me to have found some of your children living true Christian lives, in obedience to the command which we have received from the Father.

Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

And this is [the true meaning of] love: That we should live in obedience to God's commandments. And this is the commandment, just as you heard from the beginning, that you should live in it [i.e., live a life of love].

No one has God, who instead of remaining true to the teaching of Christ, presses on in advance: but he who remains true to that teaching has both the Father and the Son.