also patient; stablish your hearts: for the 'coming 1 Gr. presence. 9 of the Lord is at hand. Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the 10 judge standeth before the doors. Take, brethren, for an example of suffering and of patience, the 11 prophets who spake in the name of the Lord. Be hold, we call them blessed which endured: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end 2 Or, endurance of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful. 12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgement. 13 3 Or, let yours be the nay, nay yea, yea, and the Compare Matt. v. 37. ointed Is any among you suffering? let him pray. Is 14 any cheerful? let him sing praise. Is any among you sick? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil 4 Or, having an15 in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be 16 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 avail17 eth 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 18 three years and six months. And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 19 My brethren, if any among you do err from the 20 truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins. 5 Or, nature 6 7 Gr. with prayer. Some ancient authorities read know ye. 1 Or, trials 2 Gr. glorified. 3 Gr. unto. THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. PETER, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect 1 who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according 2 to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 3 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 in- 4 corruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who by the 5 power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Where- 6 in ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold 'temptations, that the proof of your faith, being 7 more precious than gold that perisheth though it is 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 8 now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving 9 the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Concerning which salvation the prophets 10 sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what 11 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 glories 12 that should follow them. To whom it was re- 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 14 Christ; as children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the 15 time of your ignorance: but like as he which called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all man16 ner of living; because it is written, Ye shall be holy; 17 for I am holy. And if ye call on him as Father, 2 Or, Holy Spirit who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourn18 ing 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 19 fathers; but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, even the blood of Christ: 20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the 21 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 22 God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the 5 Many brethren, love one another "from the heart fervently: 23 having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, heart. but of incorruptible, through the word of God, 6 Or, God who liv24 which liveth and abideth. For, 25 All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: But the 'word of the Lord abideth for ever. And this is the 'word of good tidings which was preached unto you. ancient authorities read from a clean eth 7 Gr. saying. 2 Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all 8 Or, malice guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speak 2 ings, as newborn babes, long for the 'spiritual milk 9 Gr. reasonable.* which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby 3 unto salvation; if ye have tasted that the Lord is 4 gracious: unto whom coming, a living stone, re jected indeed of men, but with God elect, 1precious, 10 Or, honourable * In marg. 9 for "reasonable" read "belonging to the reason."— Am. Com. 1 Or, a spiritual ye also, as living stones, are built up 1a spiritual 5 house for a holy priesthood house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 2 Or, a scripture Because it is contained in 'scripture, 3 Or, honourable 4 Or, it Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, 3precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. 6 5 Or, In your sight. For you therefore which believe is the precious- 7 6 Or, honour ness: but for such as disbelieve, 7 Gr. who. ing disobedient to the word and, The stone which the builders rejected, 8 A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; 8 Or, stumble, be- for they "stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are an 9 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 10 were no people, but now are the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 9 Gr. creation. 10 Gr. through. 11 Gr. having. 12 Or, malice 13 Gr. Householdservants. 14 Gr. grace. 15 Gr. of. Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, 11 to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your behaviour seemly among the 12 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. Be subject to every ordinance of man for the 13 Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance 14 on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well. For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye 15 should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your freedom for a cloke of 16 12wickedness, but as bondservants of God. Honour 17 all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 13Servants, be in subjection to your masters with 18 all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is acceptable, if for 19 conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, 20 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 take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For hereunto were ye called: because Christ 21 also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that 22 ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither 23 was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judg- 1 Or, his cause 24 eth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in 2 Or, carried up his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes 3 Gr. bruise. 25 ye were healed. For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. to the tree 4 Or, Overseer life 3 In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the 'behav-5 or manner of 2 iour of their wives; beholding your chaste 'behav3 iour coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel; 4 but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which 5 is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to 6 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. Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your 8 wives according to knowledge, giving honour 3unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered. 77 6 husbands (as Sarah .. ye are become), doing well, and not being afraid 7 Or, afraid with Gr. unto the female vessel, as weaker. 8 Finally, be ye all likeminded, 'compassionate, lov- 9 Gr. sympathetic. 9 ing as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded: not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto_were ye called, 10 that ye should inherit a blessing. For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And let him turn away from evil, and do good; 11 12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, 13 But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous 14 of that which is good? But and if ye should suffer |