4

1

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not ye 23 kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, 3 because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your 4 lusts.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the 5 enemy of God. Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that 6 dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he 7 saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit your8 selves therefore to God. 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; 9 and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: 10 let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

11

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 12 thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

13 GO to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, 14 and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? 6 It is even a vapour, 15 that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to 16 say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in 17 your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

5 GO to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure 4 together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of 5 them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your 6 hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

7 7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience 8 for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

9 8 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the 10 judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of 11 patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 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.

13

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing 14 psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and 15 let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if 16 he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent 17 prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed 9 earnestly that it might not rain: and it

7 Or, Be long patient, or, Suffer with long patience.

8 Or, Groan, or, grieve not.

9 Or, in prayer.

1 PETER I.

A. D. cir. 60.

And he

18 rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 19, 20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him ; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL

OF

PETER.

1 PETER, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the 2 foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

3

1

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resur4 rection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and 5 undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven 2 for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last 6 time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are 7 in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus 8 Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, 9 yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

10

Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who 11 prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

13

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in 15 your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all 16 manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

17

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according 18 to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, 19 from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest 21 in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure 23 heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, 24 by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, 4 Or, For that,

1 Gr. much.

2 Or, for us.

3 Gr. perfectly.

and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the 25 flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And 2 this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you. Wherefore laying

aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby : 3 if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

4

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen 5 of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be con7 founded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made 8 the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were 9 appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, 3a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath 10 called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

11

4

DEARLY beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from 12 fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of

13

visitation.

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it 14 be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the igno16 rance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of mali 17 ciousness, but as the servants of God. 7 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and 19 gentle, but also to the froward. For this is 8 thankworthy, if a man for con20 science toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do 21 well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered 10 for us, leaving us 22 an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile 23 found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but 11 committed himself to him that judgeth right24 eously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body 12 on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were 25 healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the 2, 3 wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing 4 of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which 5 is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection 6 unto their own husbands: even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose 13 daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any

7

amazement.

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour

8

1 PETER IV.

A.D. cir 60.

unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, I love as 9 brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise, blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye 10 should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him 11 refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him 12 eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of

the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but 13 the face of the Lord is 2 against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm 14 you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness 16 and fear: having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in 17 Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

18

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the 19, 20 Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls 21 were saved by water. save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now 22 conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

4 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves

likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased 2 from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the 3 lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice

us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, 4 lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speak5 ing evil of you who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick 6 and the dead. For for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. [

7

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto 8 prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity 9 shall cover the multitude of sins. 10 grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one Use hospitality one to another without 11 to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

12

BELOVED, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try 13 you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye 14 may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on 15 their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in 16 other men's matters. 17 ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall 18 the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the righteous 19 scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

1 Or, loving to the brethren.

2 Gr. upon.

5

THE elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be 2 revealed: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, 3 not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither 4 as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, 6 and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty 7 hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, 9 walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, 11 settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

12

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. 13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so 14 doth Marcus my son. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

1'S'

THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL

OF

PETER.

IMON PETER, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness * of God 2 and our Saviour Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.

3

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory 4 and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the 5 corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all dili6 gence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge 7 temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to 8 godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor 9 unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ: but he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged 10 from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your 11 calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

12

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these 13 things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you

1 Or, as much as in you is.
2 Or, overruling.

5 Or, by.
6 Gr. idle.