1 Some

This is the antichrist, even he that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the 23 same hath not the Father: he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also. As for you, let that abide 24 in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you,

ancient ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. authorities read And this is the promise which he promised 'us, even 25

you.

2 Or, so it is true,
and is
and even as &c.

no

3 Or, abide ye

4 Gr. from him. 5 Gr. presence. 6 Or, know ye

the life eternal. These things have I written unto 26 you concerning them that would lead you astray. And as for you, the anointing which ye received of 27 him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one

teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you conlie; cerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him. And now, 28 my little children, abide in him; that, if he shall be manifested, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know 29 that he is righteous, 'ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.

Behold what manner of love the Father hath be- 3 stowed 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, 2 now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if 'he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. And every one that 3 hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Every one that doeth sin doeth also 4 lawlessness: and sin is lawlessness. And ye know 5 that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth 6 not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither 9 Or, hath known knoweth him. My little children, let no man lead 7 you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous: he that doeth sin is of the 8 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. Whosoever 9 is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. In this the children of God are 10 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 11 which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: not as Cain was of the evil one, and 12 slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into

life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth 15 not abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his broth

er is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer 16 hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we 17 ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither 19 with the tongue; but in deed and truth. Hereby

shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall 20 lassure our heart before him, whereinsoever our 1 Gr. persuade. heart condemn us; because God* is greater than our 21 heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward 22 God; and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do the 23 things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the 2 Gr. believe the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, 24 even as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.

name.

4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God: because many 2 false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is 3 of God: and every spirit which confesseth not thorities read an

Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; 4 and now it is in the world already. Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in 5 the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 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.

3 Some ancient au

nulleth Jesus.

1 Or, in our case

authorities read

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of 7 God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth 8 not God; for God is love. Herein was the love of 9 God manifested 'in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved 10 God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved 11 us, we also ought to love one another. No man 12 hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us: hereby know we that we abide in him, and 13 he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have beheld and bear witness that the Fa-14 ther hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the 15 Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God. And we know and have believed the love which 16 God hath 'in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him. Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may 17 have boldness in the day of judgement; because as he is, even so are we in this world. There is no 18 fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love, because he 19

first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth 20

2 Many ancient his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his how can he love brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom God whom he hath he hath not seen.

not seen?

And this commandment have we 21

from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is 5 begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. Here- 2 by we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and do his commandments. For this 3 is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For what- 4 soever is begotten of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith. And who is he that overcometh the 5 world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, 6 even Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. And it is the 7 Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the

8 truth. For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three 9 agree in one. 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. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the wit11 ness that God hath borne concerning his Son. And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal 12 life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.

13 These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that 14 believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we 16 have asked of him. If any man see his brother 1 Or, he shall asl sinning a sin not unto death, the 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 2 Or, sin

17 say that he should make request. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

and shall give him life, even to them &c.

18 We know that whosoever is begotten of God sin-
neth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth
19 him, and the evil one toucheth him not. We know 3 Or, himself

that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the 20 evil one. 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 21 God, and eternal life. My little children, guard yourselves from idols.

* Substitute marg. 3 for the text, and add marg. 3 Some ancient manuscripts read him. Am. Com.

1 Or, destroy

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF

JOHN.

THE elder unto the elect lady* and her children, 1 whom I love in truth; and not I only, but also all they that know the truth; for the truth's sake which 2 abideth in us, and it shall be with us for ever: Grace, 3 mercy, peace shall be with us, from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

I rejoice greatly that I have found certain of thy 4 children walking in truth, even as we received commandment from the Father. And now I beseech 5 thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, 6 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 de- 7 ceivers 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. Look to 8 yourselves, that ye 'lose not the things which we

2 Many ancient au- have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. thorities read ye. Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the 9 30r, taketh the lead teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth 10 not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: for he that giveth him 11 greeting partaketh in his evil works.

Having many things to write unto you, I would 12 not write them with paper and ink: but I hope to come unto you, and to speak face to face, that your joy may be fulfilled. The children of thine elect 13 sister salute thee.

* "lady" add marg. Or, Cyria-Am. Com.