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things, have fervent love one for another; for love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable, one to another, without murmuring. 10 As each has received a gift, minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. "If any man speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God: if any man acts as a deacon, let him do this as from the strength which God supplies; that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and strength from age to age. Amen.

12 Beloved, be not amazed at the fiery trial that has come on you to try you, as if some strange thing had happened to you. 13 But, inasmuch as you are partakers of the sufferings of the Christ, rejoice, that, at the revelation of his glory, you may also be exceedingly joyful. 14 If you are reproached on account of Christ, happy are you: for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. On their part he is reviled, but on your part he is glorified: 15 for no one of you should suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 16 But if any one suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this account. 17 For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of those who obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous man is hardly saved, where shall the ungodly man and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God, by doing good, commit their souls to him as to a faithful Creator.

V. The elders that are among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of the Christ, and a sharer in the glory that is to be revealed. Act as shepherds

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to the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight, not by compulsion, but willingly; not for the sake of sordid gain, but from readiness of mind: 3 neither as being lords over God's possessions, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, you will receive the crown of glory that fades not away.

Likewise, you younger, be in subjection to the older: do you all indeed be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the lowly. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the strong hand of God, that he may exalt 7 in due season. you Cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you.

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Be sober, be watchful: for your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. Being firm in the faith, resist him, knowing that the same afflic tions are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world.

10 But may the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, confirm you. To him be glory and dominion from age to age. Amen.

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12 By Sylvanus, a faithful brother to you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 13 The church in Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you, and so does Marcus my son. 14 Salute one another with a kiss of love. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus.

SECOND LETTER OF PETER.

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(IMON PETER, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained faith, equally as precious as our own, in the plan of justification revealed by our God and Savior Jesus Christ: grace be to you, and peace be multiplied in the acknowledgment of God, and Jesus our Lord.

3 As his divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the acknowledgment of him who has called us by his glorious power, through which things very great and precious favors that were promised have been given us, that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through desire: 5so, even for this very purpose, uniting to these things all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things be in you, and abound, they cause you to be neither idle, nor unfruitful as it respects the acknowledgement of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he who is wanting in these things is blind, and closes his eyes, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Wherefore, brethren, give the greater diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you will never fall. For thus will an entrance be

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given you abundantly into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

12 Wherefore, I will not neglect to remind you always of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth. 13 Indeed, I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to arouse you by putting you in remembrance. 14 For I know that the putting off of this my tabernacle is near at hand, even as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 5 But I will earnestly endeavor that you may be able, even after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance.

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16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came to him from the magnificent glory a voice, such as this: This is my beloved Son, in whom I delight. 18 And this voice, which came from heaven, we heard when we were with him in the holy mount; 19 and we have the prophetic word better established. You do well to attend to this, as to a lamp that shines in a dark place, till the day dawn, and the morning star arise in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture came from private interpretation: 21 for the prophecy came not at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

II. But there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers also among you; and these will stealthily introduce ruinous sects, and deny the Lord that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction: and many will follow their dissolute ways, on account of whom the way of truth will be reviled; and, with delusive words, they will,

through covetousness, make gain of you: the condemnation, long ago denounced against these, delays not, and their destruction does not slumber.

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For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and delivered them over to chains of darkness, to be kept for judgment; and if he spared not the old world, but brought a flood on the world of the ungodly, and saved Noah, the, eighth person, who was a preacher of righteousness; and if, turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, he condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example to those who should afterward live in an ungodly manner, and delivered righteous Lot, wearied out with the licentious conduct of the lawless,- for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds: then, the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the ungodly for the day of judgment, to be punished; 10 but especially those who walk after the flesh in unclean lust, and who despise government. Presumptuous, willful men! they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries: "whereas angels, who excel in might and in power, bring no railing accusation against them in the presence of the Lord. 12 But these men, like beasts without reason, which follow the instinct of nature, and are made to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil of things that they understand not, shall utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and receive the reward of unrighteousness. Counting it a pleasure to riot in the day-time, they are spots and stains, rioting in their delusions, while feasting with you; having eyes that are full of the adulteress, and that can not cease from sin, deceiving unstable souls, having a heart exercised in covetousness, accursed children, 15 who have forsaken the right way and

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