a Or,

nature

16.

him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him. Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working. "Elijah was a man of like "passions with us, and he prayed 'fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months. 18And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

C

19 My brethren, if any among you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 let him know, that he Gr. with which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.

prayer.

I.

The First Epistle General of PETER.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling know ye of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

• Some ancient authorities read

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 'unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye Or, trials greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold tempta

10

• Gr.

glorified.

tions, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is r proved by fire, might be found unto praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ: whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and "full of glory: 'receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your Gr. unto. souls. Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: "searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the Gr. in. glories that should follow them. To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the "Holy Ghost sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

12

d Or, Holy

Spirit

e Gr.

brought.

13 Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance: "but like as he which called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all man- is being ner of living; "because it is written, Ye shall be holy, for I am holy. "And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear: knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your they fathers; but with precious blood, as of a lamb d without blemish and without spot, even the blood of

fOr, like

One which

you

a Many ancient

author from a

ties read

clean heart.

Christ: 20who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the times for your sake, "who through him are believers in God, which raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned God who love of the brethren, love one another "from the heart fervently: "having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. "For, All flesh is as grass,

¿Or,

liveth

Gr. saying.

dOr. malice

grass.

And all the glory thereof as the flower of The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: 25 But the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And this is the word of good tidings which was sonable preached unto you.

Gr. rea

for, honourable

Or, a

spiritual

a holy priest

II.

Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, long for the 'spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow house for thereby unto salvation; 3if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, ye also, as living stones, are built up a scripture spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Because it is contained in "scripture,

hood

λ Or, a

Or, it

: Or,

In vour sight

*Or, honour

Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious:

And he that believeth on him shall not be

to shame.

put

For you therefore which believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve.

The stone which the builders rejected,

The same was made the head of the corner; sand,

a Gr. who.

stumble,

big dis

obedient

to the

word

A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; "for they 'stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are or an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may shew forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

e Gr.

d

creation.

II Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; "having your behaviour seemly through. among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

• Gr. having.

ƒOr,

13 Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well. matice 15For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16.

Gr.

as free, and not using your freedom for a cloke of wickedness, but as bondservants of God. "Honour Houseall men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour Servants. the king.

Gr

18 *Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is acceptable, if for con- grace. science toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall

Gr. of.

a Gr. grace.

^ Or, his

cause

take it patiently, this is "acceptable with God. "For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered. for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: carried 24who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Or,

the tree

d Gr. bruise.

•Or, Overseer

manner

of life

III.

In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any for, obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behaviour of their wives; beholding your chaste behaviour coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of bands as plaiting the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or yeare of putting on apparel; but let it be the hidden man doing of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek nts and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of

Or. hus

Sarah

become),

weis, and

afraid

1Or, afrid with

Grunto t' female resse, as

great price. For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands: as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not "put in fear by any terror.

7 Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your weaker wives according to knowledge, giving honour 'unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that at your prayers be not hindered.

Gr. sym

pathetic.

8 Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, lov