God's great love to mankind. I. JOHN, The nature, extent, and shall appear, we may have con- manifested, that he might defidence, and not be ashamed stroy the works of the devil. before him at his coming. 9 Whosoever is born of God 29 If ye know that he is doth not commit sin; for his righteous, ye know that every seed remaineth in him; and he one that doeth righteousness is cannot sin, because he is born born of him. of God. CHAP. III. God's singular love to us. ВЕНО 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the chil EHOLD what manner of dren of the devil: whosoever love the Father hath be- doeth not righteousness is not stowed upon us, that we should of God, neither he that loveth be called the sons of God! not his brother. not, because it knew him not. therefore the world knoweth us 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the begin2 Beloved, now are we the ning, that we should love one sons of God, and it doth not another. yet appear what we shall be: 12 Not as Cain, who was of but we know that, when he shall that wicked one, and slew his appear, we shall be like him; brother. And wherefore slew for we shall see him as he is. he him? Because his own works 3 And every man that hath were evil, and his brother's this hope in him purifieth him-righteous. self, even as he is pure. 13 Marvel not, my brethren, 4 Whosoever committeth sin if the world hate you. transgresseth also the law; for 14 We know that we have sin is the transgression of the passed from death unto life, law. because we love the brethren. 5 And ye know that he was He that loveth not his brother, manifested to take away our abideth in death. sins; and in him is no sin. 15 Whosoever hateth his bro6 Whosoever abideth in him ther, is a murderer: and ye know sinneth not whosoever sinneth that no murderer hath eternal hath not seen him, neither life abiding in him. known him. 16 Hereby perceive we the 7 Little children, let no man love of God, because he laid deceive you: he that doeth right-down his life for us and we eousness is righteous, even as ought to lay down our lives for he is righteous. the brethren. 8 He that committeth sin is 17 But whoso hath this of the devil; for the devil sinneth world's good, and seeth his from the beginning. For this brother have need, and shutteth purpose the Son of God was up his bowels of compassion from CHAP. IV. benefit of brotherly love. How to try the spirits. him, how dwelleth the love of come in the flesh, is not of God. God in him? And this is that spirit of anti18 My little children, let us christ, whereof ye have heard not love in word, neither in that it should come; and even tongue, but in deed and in truth. now already is it in the world. 19 And hereby we know that 4 Ye are of God, little chilwe are of the truth, and shall dren, and have overcome them: assure our hearts before him. because greater is he that is in 20 For if our heart condemn you, than he that is in the world. us, God is greater than our 5 They are of the world: heart, and knoweth all things. therefore speak they of the 21 Beloved, if our heart con- world, and the world heareth demn us not, then have we con-them. fidence toward God. 6 We are of God. He that 22 And whatsoever we ask, knoweth God, heareth us; he we receive of him, because we that is not of God, heareth not keep his commandments, and us. Hereby know we the spirit do those things that are pleasing of truth, and the spirit of error. in his sight. 7 Beloved, let us love one 23 And this is his command-another: for love is of God; and ment; That we should believe every one that loveth is born of on the name of his son Jesus God, and knoweth God. Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love. 24 And he that keepeth his 9 In this was manifested the commandments, dwelleth in him, love of God toward us, because and he in him. And hereby that God sent his only-begotten we know that he abideth in us, Son into the world, that we by the Spirit which he hath might live through him. given us. "CHAP. IV. Against believing all teachers. ELOVED, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit God dwelleth in us, and his of God: Every spirit that con- love is perfected in us. fesseth that Jesus Christ is come 13 Hereby know we that we in the flesh, is of God: dwell in him, and he in us, be 3 And every spirit that con-cause he hath given us of his fesseth not that Jesus Christ is Spirit. 1. JOHN, Obligation of mutual love. The witnesses of our faith. 14 And we have seen and do love the children of God, when testify, that the Father sent the we love God, and keep his comSon to be the Saviour of the mandments. world. 3 For this is the love of God, 15 Whosoever shall confess that we keep his commandthat Jesus is the Son of God, ments; and his commandments God dwelleth in him, and he in are not grievous. God. 4 For whatsoever is born of 16 And we have known and God, overcometh the world: and believed the love that God hath this is the victory that overcomto us. God is love: and he eth the world, even our faith. that dwelleth in love, dwelleth 5 Who is he that overcometh in God, and God in him. the world, but he that believeth 17 Herein is our love made that Jesus is the Son of God? perfect, that we may have bold- 6 This is he that came by ness in the day of judgment: water and blood, even Jesus because as he is, so are we in Christ; not by water only, but this world. by water and blood. And it is 18 There is no fear in love; the Spirit that beareth witness, but perfect love casteth out fear: because the Spirit is truth. because fear hath torment. He 7 For there are three that that feareth, is not made perfect bear record in heaven, the Fain love. ther, the Word, and the Holy 19 We love him, because he Ghost: and these three are one. first loved us. 8 And there are three that 20 If a man say, I love God, bear witness in earth, the spirit, and hateth his brother, he is and the water, and the blood: a liar. For he that loveth not and these three agree in one. his brother, whom he hath seen, 9 If we receive the witness how can he love God, whom he of men, the witness of God is hath not seen? greater: for this is the witness 21 And this commandment of God which he hath testified have we from him, That he who of his Son. loveth God, love his brother also. CHAP. V. The three witnesses. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not WHOSOEVER Grouse he believeth not the re HOSOEVER believeth God, hath made him a liar, be- that Jesus is the Christ, cause is born of God: and every one cord that God gave of his Son. that loveth him that begat, 11 And this is the record, that loveth him also that is begotten God hath given to us eternal of him. life and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son, hath 2 By this we know that wel The Christian's confidence CHAP. V. in prayer to God. life; and he that hath not the death: I do not say that he shall Son of God, hath not life. pray for it. 13 These things have I writ- 17 All unrighteousness is sin : ten unto you that believe on and there is a sin not unto death. the name of the Son of God: ; 18 We know that whosoever that ye may know that ye have is born of God, sinneth not; but eternal life, and that ye may he that is begotten of God, believe on the name of the Son keepeth himself, and that wickof God. ed one toucheth him not. 19 And we know that we are 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we of God, and the whole world ask any thing according to his lieth in wickedness. will, he heareth us: 20 And we know that the Son 15 And if we know that he of God is come, and hath given hear us, whatsoever we ask, we us an understanding, that we know that we have the petitions may know him that is true; and that we desired of him. we are in him that is true, even 16 If any man see his brother in his Son Jesus Christ. This sin a sin which is not unto death, is the true God, and eternal he shall ask, and he shall give life. him life for them that sin not 21 Little children, keep your unto death. There is a sin unto selves from idols. ¶ The Second Epistle of JOHN. Amen. An elect lady, &c. exhorted. in truth, as we have received a THE HE elder unto the elect commandment from the Father. lady, and her children, 5 And now I beseech thee, whom I love in the truth; and lady, not as though I wrote a not I only, but also all they that new commandment unto thee, have known the truth; but that which we had from the 2 For the truth's sake which beginning, that we love one dwelleth in us, and shall be with another. us for ever. 6 And this is love, that we 3 Grace be with you, mercy, walk after his commandments. and peace from God the Father, This is the commandment, That, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, as ye have heard from the bethe Son of the Father, in truth ginning, ye should walk in it. and love. 7 For many deceivers are en4 I rejoiced greatly, that I tered into the world, who confound of thy children walking fess not that Jesus Christ is come The apostle cautioneth II. JOHN, against false teachers. in the flesh. This is a deceiver, trine, receive him not into your and an antichrist. house, neither bid him God 8 Look to yourselves, that speed: we lose not those things which 11 For he that biddeth him we have wrought, but that we God speed, is partaker of his receive a full reward. evil deeds. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, 12 Having many things to and abideth not in the doctrine write unto you, I would not of Christ, hath not God. He write with paper and ink: but I that abideth in the doctrine of trust to come unto you, and Christ, he hath both the Father speak face to face, that our joy and the Son. may be full. 10 If there come any unto 13 The children of thy elect you, and bring not this doc-sister greet thee. Amen. ¶ The Third Epistle of JOHN. Gaius' piety commended. their journey after a godly sort, HE elder unto the well-thou shalt do well: · THE beloved Gaius, whom I 7 Because that for his name's love in the truth. sake they went forth, taking 2 Beloved, I wish above all nothing of the Gentiles. things that thou mayest prosper 8 We therefore ought to reand be in health, even as thy ceive such, that we might be soul prospereth. fellow-helpers to the truth. 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when 9 I wrote unto the church: the brethren came and testified but Diotrephes, who loveth to of the truth that is in thee, even have the pre-eminence among as thou walkest in the truth. them, receiveth us not. 4 I have no greater joy than 10 Wherefore, if I come, I to hear that my children walk will remember his deeds which in truth. he doeth, prating against us 5 Beloved, thou doest faith- with malicious words: and not fully whatsoever thou doest to content therewith, neither doth the brethren, and to stran- he himself receive the brethren, gers; and forbiddeth them that would, 6 Which have borne witness and casteth them out of the of thy charity before the church: church. whom if thou bring forward on! 11 Beloved, follow not that |