I John 5

1 Whoever believes thatJesus is the Christ isborn of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God andkeep His commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. AndHis commandments are not burdensome.

4 Forwhatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory thathas overcome the world—our faith.

5 Who is he who overcomes the world, buthe who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Certainty of God’s Witness

6 This is He who cameby water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood.And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father,the Word, and the Holy Spirit;and these three are one.

8 And there are three that bear witness on earth:the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

9 If we receivethe witness of men, the witness of God is greater;for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.

10 He who believes in the Son of Godhas the witness in himself; he who does not believe Godhas made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you maycontinuetobelieve in the name of the Son of God.

Confidence and Compassion in Prayer

14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, thatif we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sinwhichdoesnotleadto death, he will ask, andHe will give him life for those who commit sin notleadingto death.There is sinleadingto death.I do not say that he should pray about that.

17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin notleadingto death.

Knowing the True—Rejecting the False

18 We know thatwhoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of Godkeeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are of God, andthe whole world liesundertheswayofthe wicked one.

20 And we know that theSon of God has come andhas given us an understanding,that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.This is the true Godand eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

II Peter 1

Greeting the Faithful

1 Simon Peter, a bondservant andapostle of Jesus Christ,

# To those who have obtainedlike precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

3 as Hisdivine power has given to us all things thatpertainto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Himwho called us by glory and virtue,

4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may bepartakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruptionthatisin the world through lust.

Fruitful Growth in the Faith

5 But also for this very reason,giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtueknowledge,

6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

7 to godliness brotherly kindness, andto brotherly kindness love.

8 For if these things are yours and abound,youwill be neither barrennor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 For he who lacks these things isshortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligentto make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Peter’s Approaching Death

12 For this reasonI will not be negligent to remind you always of these things,though you know and are established in the present truth.

13 Yes, I think it is right,as long as I am in this tent,to stir you up by remindingyou,

14 knowing that shortly Imustput off my tent, just asour Lord Jesus Christ showed me.

15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

The Trustworthy Prophetic Word

16 For we did not followcunningly devised fables when we made known to you thepower andcoming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but wereeyewitnesses of His majesty.

17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory:“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him onthe holy mountain.

19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as alight that shines in a dark place,untilthe day dawns and the morning star rises in yourhearts;

20 knowing this first, thatno prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,

21 forprophecy never came by the will of man,but holy men of God spokeastheyweremoved by the Holy Spirit.

II Peter 2

Destructive Doctrines

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will befalse teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them,andbring on themselves swift destruction.

2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

Doom of False Teachers

4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but castthemdown to hell and deliveredtheminto chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah,oneofeightpeople, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

6 and turning the cities ofSodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemnedthemto destruction, makingtheman example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

7 anddelivered righteous Lot,whowasoppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked

8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them,tormentedhisrighteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearingtheirlawless deeds)—

9 thenthe Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

10 and especiallythose who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority.Theyarepresumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,

11 whereasangels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

Depravity of False Teachers

12 But these,like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,

13 andwill receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasureto carouse in the daytime.Theyarespots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions whilethey feast with you,

14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls.They have a heart trained in covetous practices,andareaccursed children.

15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way ofBalaam thesonof Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Deceptions of False Teachers

18 For when they speak great swellingwordsof emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption;for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

20 For if, after theyhave escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they areagain entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

21 Forit would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having knownit,to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb:“A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

II Peter 3

God’s Promise Is Not Slack

1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (inbothofwhichI stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),

2 that you may be mindful of the wordswhich were spoken before by the holy prophets,and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,

3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days,walking according to their own lusts,

4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue astheywerefrom the beginning ofcreation.”

5 For this they willfully forget: thatby the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earthstanding out of water and in the water,

6 by which the worldthatthen existed perished, being flooded with water.

7 Butthe heavens and the earthwhichare now preserved by the same word, are reserved forfire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one dayisas a thousand years, anda thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerningHispromise, as some count slackness, butis longsuffering toward us,not willing that any should perish butthat all should come to repentance.

The Day of the Lord

10 Butthe day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in whichthe heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what mannerofpersonsought you to bein holy conduct and godliness,

12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens willbe dissolved, being on fire, and the elements willmelt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look fornew heavens and anew earth in which righteousness dwells.

Be Steadfast

14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligentto be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;

15 and considerthatthe longsuffering of our Lordissalvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

16 as also in all hisepistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstablepeopletwist to their own destruction, astheydoalso therest of the Scriptures.

17 You therefore, beloved,since you knowthisbeforehand,beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;

18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

# To Himbethe glory both now and forever. Amen.

I Peter 1

Greeting to the Elect Pilgrims

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

# To the pilgrimsof the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 electaccording to the foreknowledge of God the Father,in sanctification of the Spirit, forobedience andsprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

# Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

A Heavenly Inheritance

3 Blessedbethe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whoaccording to His abundant mercyhas begotten us again to a living hopethrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away,reserved in heaven for you,

5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though nowfor a little while, if need be,you have been grieved by various trials,

7 thatthe genuineness of your faith,beingmuch more precious than gold that perishes, thoughit is tested by fire,may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

8 whom having not seen you love.Though now you do not seeHim,yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation ofyoursouls.

10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the gracethatwouldcometo you,

11 searching what, or what manner of time,the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things whichangels desire to look into.

Living Before God Our Father

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and restyourhope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 as obedient children, notconforming yourselves to the former lusts,asin your ignorance;

15 but as He who called youisholy, you also be holy in allyourconduct,

16 because it is written,“Be holy, for I am holy.”

17 And if you call on the Father, whowithout partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stayherein fear;

18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things,likesilver or gold, from your aimless conductreceivedby tradition from your fathers,

19 butwith the precious blood of Christ,as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifestin these last times for you

21 who through Him believe in God,who raised Him from the dead andgave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Enduring Word

22 Since youhave purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincerelove of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible,through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

24 because

# “All fleshisas grass,

And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers,

And its flower falls away,

25 But the word of theLordendures forever.”

# Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

I Peter 2

1 Therefore,laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

2 as newborn babes, desire the puremilk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

3 if indeed you havetasted that the Lordisgracious.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

4 Coming to Himastoa living stone,rejected indeed by men, but chosen by Godandprecious,

5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

# “Behold, I lay in Zion

A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

7 Therefore, to you who believe,Heisprecious; but to those who are disobedient,

# “The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone,”

8 and

# “A stone of stumbling

And a rock of offense.”

# They stumble, being disobedient to the word,to which they also were appointed.

9 But youarea chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out ofdarkness into His marvelous light;

10 who oncewerenot a people butarenow the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Living Before the World

11 Beloved, I begyouas sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lustswhich war against the soul,

12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers,they may, byyourgood works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Submission to Government

13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,

14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers andforthepraise of those who do good.

15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—

16 as free, yet notusing liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

17 Honor allpeople.Love the brotherhood. FearGod. Honor the king.

Submission to Masters

18 Servants,besubmissive toyourmasters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.

19 For thisiscommendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 Forwhat creditisitif, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, thisiscommendable before God.

21 Forto this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us,leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

22 “Whocommitted no sin,

Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, butcommittedHimselfto Him who judges righteously;

24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree,that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

25 Foryou were like sheep going astray, but have now returnedto the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

I Peter 3

Submission to Husbands

1 Wives, likewise,besubmissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word,they, without a word, maybe won by the conduct of their wives,

2 when they observe your chaste conductaccompaniedby fear.

3 Do not let your adornment bemerelyoutward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting onfineapparel—

4 ratherletitbethe hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptiblebeautyof a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,

6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham,calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

A Word to Husbands

7 Husbands, likewise, dwell withthemwith understanding, giving honor to the wife,as to the weaker vessel, and asbeingheirs together of the grace of life,that your prayers may not be hindered.

Called to Blessing

8 Finally, allofyoubeof one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers,betenderhearted,becourteous;

9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contraryblessing, knowing that you were called to this,that you may inherit a blessing.

10 For

# “He who would love life

And see good days,

# Let him refrain his tongue from evil,

And his lips from speaking deceit.

11 Let himturn away from evil and do good;

# Let him seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of theLordareon the righteous,

# And His earsareopento their prayers;

But the face of theLordisagainst those who do evil.”

Suffering for Right and Wrong

13 And whoishe who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?

14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake,youareblessed.“And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and alwaysbeready togivea defense to everyone who asks you a reason for thehope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

17 Foritisbetter, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Christ’s Suffering and Ours

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, whiletheark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism(not the removal of the filth of the flesh,but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

22 who has gone into heaven andis at the right hand of God,angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

I Peter 4

1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

2 that he no longer should live the rest ofhistime in the flesh for the lusts of men,but for the will of God.

3 For wehavespentenough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run withthemin the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil ofyou.

5 They will give an account to Him who is readyto judge the living and the dead.

6 For this reasonthe gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, butlive according to God in the spirit.

Serving for God’s Glory

7 Butthe end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for“love will cover a multitude of sins.”

9 Behospitable to one anotherwithout grumbling.

10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another,as good stewards ofthe manifold grace of God.

11 If anyone speaks,lethimspeakas the oracles of God. If anyone ministers,lethimdoitas with the ability which God supplies, thatin all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Suffering for God’s Glory

12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

13 but rejoiceto the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, thatwhen His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ,blessedareyou,for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed,but on your part He is glorified.

15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.

16 Yet ifanyonesuffersas a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

17 For the timehascomefor judgment to begin at the house of God; and ifitbeginswith us first,what willbethe end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

18 Now

# “If the righteous one is scarcely saved,

Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of Godcommit their soulstoHimin doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

I Peter 5

Shepherd the Flock

1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and awitness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of theglory that will be revealed:

2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers,not by compulsion but willingly,not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

3 nor asbeing lords overthose entrusted to you, butbeing examples to the flock;

4 and whenthe Chief Shepherd appears, you will receivethe crown of glory that does not fade away.

Submit to God, Resist the Devil

5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves toyourelders. Yes,all ofyoube submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

# “God resists the proud,

# Butgives grace to the humble.”

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

10 But may the God of all grace,who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settleyou.

11 To Himbethe glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Farewell and Peace

12 BySilvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifyingthat this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

13 She who is in Babylon, elect together withyou,greets you; andsodoesMark my son.

14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.

Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

James 1

Greeting to the Twelve Tribes

1 James,a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:

Greetings.

Profiting from Trials

2 My brethren,count it all joywhen you fall into various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

4 But let patience haveitsperfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom,let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, andit will be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

8 heisa double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The Perspective of Rich and Poor

9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,

10 but the rich in his humiliation, becauseas a flower of the field he will pass away.

11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

Loving God Under Trials

12 Blessedisthe man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receivethe crown of lifewhich the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

15 Then,when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown,brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights,with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

18 Of His own will He brought us forth by theword of truth,that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

Qualities Needed in Trials

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear,slow to speak,slow to wrath;

20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Doers—Not Hearers Only

21 Thereforelay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word,which is able to save your souls.

22 Butbe doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

23 Forif anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;

24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

25 Buthe who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continuesinit,and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work,this one will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, anddoes not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religionisuseless.

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this:to visit orphans and widows in their trouble,andto keep oneself unspotted from the world.