stain from fleshly lusts, which war he suffered did not threaten, but against the soul; having your man- committed himself to him that ner of life among the Gentiles hon- judgeth righteously; who himself orable; that, whereas they now suffered on account of our transspeak against you as evil-doers, they gressions in his own body on the may by your good works, which cross, that we also might die to our they behold, glorify God in the day transgressions, and live to righteousof visitation.

ness.

2 Submit yourselves therefore to 8 And with his stripes ye were every human institution for the healed. For ye were going astray Lord's sake; whether to the ruler like sheep; but now have ye reas supreme, or to governors, as turned to the Shepherd and Bishop being appointed by him for the pun- of your souls. ishment of evil-doers, and the praise of those who do well.

9 In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your husbands; that 3 For so is the will of God, that even those who obey not the word, with well-doing ye may put to si- may, without the word, be won, lence the ignorance of foolish men; when they behold your chaste beas free, and not using your freedom havior coupled with reverence. for a cloak of wickedness, but as ser- Whose adorning, let it not be the vants of God. outward adornment of braiding the 4 Respect all men; love the hair, and of wearing golden ornabrotherhood; reverence God; honor ments, or of putting on apparel; the ruler. but the hidden adornment of 5 Servants, be subject to your the heart, in that which is masters with all respect, not only to imperishable, even the ornament the good and considerate, but also of a meek and quiet spirit, to the perverse; for this is accepta- which is in the sight of God of great ble, if any one on account of a sense of duty to God endureth hardships, suffering wongfully.

6 And what glory is it, if, when for your faults ye are punished, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, that is glory; and that is acceptable with God.

price.

10 Dwell likewise, O husband, with thy wife according to knowledge, as with the weaker vessel, giving her honor as being heir with thee of the grace of life; to the end that your expectations be not in vain.

II Finally, be all of one mind, 7 For to this ye were called; be- have fellow-feeling, love as brethren, cause even Christ suffered for us, be compassionate, be humble; not leaving us an example, that we rendering evil for evil, or railing for should follow his steps; who com- railing; but, on the contrary, blessmitted no wrong, neither was guile ing the evil-doer; because for this found in his mouth; who, when he end ye were called, that ye might was reviled, reviled not again; when inherit blessing.

12 He that would love life, and have wrought the will of the Gensee good days, let him refrain his tiles, when ye walked in lascivioustongue from evil, and his lips from ness, lusts, excess of wine, revelspeaking guile; let him turn away lings, carousings, and abominable from evil, and do good; let him idolatries; and now are they astonseek peace, and pursue it; for the ished that ye run no longer with eyes of the Lord are upon the right- them into the same excess of riot; eous, and his ears are toward their therefore they speak evil of you; supplication; but the face of the but they shall give account to him Lord is turned away from those who that is ready to judge the living and do evil. the dead.

13 Who is he that shall harm you, 18 For to this end was the gospel if ye are followers of that which is preached also to those who were good? If ye suffer for righteous- dead in transgressions, that they ness' sake, happy are ye; therefore might indeed be condemned accordbe not afraid at their terrors, nor ing to men in the flesh, and might alarmed. be made alive according to God in the spirit.

14 Sanctify in your hearts Christ as your master; and so be ready always to give, in reply to every one that asketh you, a reason for the hope that is in you; but give it with meekness and reverence, having a good conscience, so that wherein ye are evil spoken of, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conduct in Christ.

19 But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer; above all things, have fervent love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of errors.

20 Be hospitable to one another without grudging; according as each one hath received, let him minister of the same to others, so shall ye be good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

15 For it is good, if it be the will of God, that ye suffer for well-doing, not for evil-doing; even as Christ also once suffered for transgressions, the righteous one for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. 16 Christ then having suffered in the flesh, do ye also strengthen the praise and the dominion for ever yourselves with the same experience. and ever. Amen.

For he that suffereth in the flesh ceaseth from sin; so do ye no longer live the remaining time in the flesh after the lusts of men, but after the will of God.

17 Sufficient is the time past to

21 If any one speak, let him speak as uttering the oracles of God; if any minister, let him do it as from the ability which God giveth; that in all things through Jesus Christ, glory may be given to God, to whom be

SELECTION III. Continuation of moral and devout pre

cepts.

BELOVED, be not surprised at the

fiery trial which is taking place

among you to prove you, as though mility toward each other; for God a strange thing were befalling you; resisteth the proud, but giveth grace but, in so far as ye share in Christ's to the humble.

sufferings, rejoice; that also at the 7 Humble yourselves therefore manifestation of his glory ye may re-under the mighty hand of God, that joice with exceeding joy. he may exalt you in due time; cast

6 In like manner, ye younger love. men, submit yourselves to the elder; 12 If these things are in you and and all of you be clothed with hu-abound, they will make you neither

inactive nor unfruitful in gaining the spot and blameless before him in full knowledge of Jesus Christ our peace. Master; but he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old iniquities.

13 Wherefore brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure; if ye do these things, ye will never fall; for in this way the entrance will be richly furnished you into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ our Master and Saviour.

15 But forget not, beloved, this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not tardy concerning his promise, as some men count tardiness; but is long-suffering toward you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

16 Seeing that all these things are thus to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, be diligent hastening the coming of the day of that ye may be found without God!

THE LETTERS OF JOHN.

SELECTION I.

3 And this is the message which

If we are brethren of Christ and chil- we have heard from him, and andren of God, the life, light, and righteous-nounce to you, that God is light, ness of Christ and of God will also be and in him is no darkness at all.

in us.

THAT

4 If we walk in the darkness, HAT which was from the first, and say that we have fellowship which we have heard, which with him, we speak not the truth; we have seen with our eyes, which but if we walk in the light, as he is we looked upon, and our hands in the light, then we have fellowship handled, concerning the word of one with another, and the blood of life, and the life was manifested, Jesus his son will cleanse us from and we have seen it, and bear wit-all our transgressions. ness, and announce to you the ever- 5 If we say that we have no lasting life, which was with the transgressions, we deceive ourselves, Father, and was manifested to us,that which we have seen and heard we announce to you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his son Christ.

Jesus

and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our transgressions, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

6 My children, these things I write to you, that ye may not trans

2 These things we write to you, gress; if any one have transgressed, that your joy may be full.

we have a helper with the Father,

Jesus Christ the righteous: and he men, because ye have overcome the

is a propitiation for our transgres- evil one. sions; and not for ours only, but also

for the whole world.

7 Hereby we are assured that we know him, if we keep his commandments; he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, deceiveth himself, and the truth is not in him.

12 I have written to you, my children, because ye know the Father; I have written to you, fathers, because ye know him that was from the beginning; I have written to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the evil one.

8 But whoever keepeth his word, truly in him is the love of God 13 Love not the world, nor the perfected; and hereby we know things in the world; if any one that we are in him. Therefore he that loveth the world, the love of the saith he abideth in him ought him- Father is not in him: because such self also to walk, even as Jesus things as the lust of the flesh, and walked. the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of the Father, but are worldly.

14 The world is passing away,

9 Beloved, I have written no new commandment to you, but an old commandment, which ye have had from the beginning; the old com- and the lust thereof; but he that mandment is the word which ye doeth the will of God abideth for have already heard; but a new com- ever. mandment I will write to you, even 15 Behold what manner of love of things which are true in him, and the Father hath bestowed upon in you; because the darkness is pass-us, that we should be called children ing away, and the true light is now of God! For this cause the world beginning to shine. knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

10 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in the darkness until now; he that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him; but he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.

16 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it hath not yet been manifested what we shall be, but we know that, when it shall be manifested, we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is.

17 And every one that hath this hope purifieth himself, even as God himself is pure; for whoever comIII write to you, my children, mitteth sin transgresseth thereby because your transgressions have the law; for sin is a transgression of been forgiven you for his name's the law.

sake; I write to you, fathers, be- 18 And ye know him, even Jesus, cause ye know him that was from that was manifested to take away the beginning; I write to you, young transgressions, that in him was no