God in all things may be glorified, through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the dominion, forever and ever. Amen.

12 Beloved, be not astonished at the fiery test taking place among you to prove you, as though a strange thing were befalling you; 13 but, in so far as ye share in Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that also, at the revelation of his glory, ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. 14 If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you; [on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.]

15 For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a busy-body in other men's matters; 16 but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him gorify God in this name. 17 Because the time is come that judgment should begin from the house of God; but if it begin first from us, what shall be the end of those who obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous is with difficulty saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

19 Wherefore let those also, who suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as to a faithful Creator.

V

THE elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder,

and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed; 2 tend the flock of God which is among you, overseeing it not by constraint but willingly, not for base gain but with good will; 3neither as being lords over the heritage, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd is manifested, ye shall receive the unfading crown of glory.

5 In like manner, ye younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yea, all of you submitting to one another, gird yourselves with humility; because, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may

V. 14. The words in brackets are omitted in the best copies.

exalt you in due time; casting all your care upon him, because he cares for you.

8 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, goes about, seeking whom he may devour; 9 whom resist, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered a little while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. 11 To him be the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever.

Amen.

12 By Silvanus, the faithful brother, as I consider, I wrote to you in few words, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand.

13 The [church that is] in Babylon, chosen with you, salutes you; and Mark, my son.

14 Salute one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all, that are in Christ.

THE SECOND GENERAL LETTER OF PETER.

I.

SIMON PETER, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to - those who have obtained like precious faith with us in 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.

Seeing that his divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and might; 4 through which he has given us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world through lust;

V. 13. Or, The sister chosen with you, in Babylon, salutes you

Б

5 yea for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith fortitude; and to fortitude, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are in you, and abound, they cause that ye shall not be inactive nor unfruitful in attaining to the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 'But he that lacks these things is blind, not seeing afar off, having forgotten the cleansing away of his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. 11 For so shall be richly ministered to you the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

12 Wherefore, I will not neglect to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth that is with you. 13 But I think it right, so long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14 knowing that I must soon put off my tabernacle, as also our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will endeavor that at all times ye may be able after my departure to call these things to mind.

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 had been eye-witnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when such a voice was borne to him from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; 18 and this voice we heard borne from heaven, being with him in the holy mount. 19 And we have more sure the prophetic word; to which ye do well that ye take heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture comes of private interpretation; 21 for prophecy was never brought

V. 5. Or, furnish in your faith fortitude, and in your fortitude knowledge, etc.

V. 14. Or, that the putting off of my tabernacle is speedy

by the will of man; but moved by the Holy Spirit, men spoke from God.

BUT there were false prophets also among the people,

II. Un tre will be false teachers among you also, plo

stealthily will bring in destructive factions, even denying as Master him who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their dissolute ways; by reason of whom the way of truth will be evil spoken of. 3 And in covetousness will they with feigned words make merchandise of you; for whom the judgment from of old lingers not, and their destruction slumbers not.

4 For if God spared not angels, having sinned, but casting them down to hell delivered them over to chains of darkness, reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but kept Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing the flood on the world of ungodly men, and turning to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah condemned them to overthrow, having made them an example of those who should afterward live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, wearied out with the lewd conduct of the lawless; (8 for that righteous man, dwelling among them, with seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds ;) the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust under punishment to the day of judgment; 10 but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise dominion. Presumptuous, selfwilled, they are not afraid to rail at dignities; 11 whereas angels, being greater in strength and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord.

12 But these, as natural brute beasts born to be taken and destroyed, railing at things that they understand not, shall utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 receiving the wages of unrighteousness, as they who account reveling for a day pleas

13

V. 4. In some ancient copies: pits of darkness

V. 12. In some ancient copies: as brute beasts, born naturally to be

taken

ure; spots, and blemishes, reveling in their own deceits while feasting with you; 14 having eyes full of the adulteress, and that cease not from sin; alluring unstable 'souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of a curse; 15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, 16 but was rebuked for his iniquity; the dumb ass, speaking with man's voice, forbade the madness of the prophet.

17 These are wells without water, mists driven by a tempest, to whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever. 18 For, speaking swelling words of vanity, in lusts of the flesh they allure, by wanton ways, such as partly escape those who live in error; 19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are servants of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by the same he is also brought into bondage. 20 For if, having escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but having again become entangled therein they are overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first. 21 For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, having known it, to turn. back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog, returned to his own vomit; and, A sow that was washed, to the wallowing in the mire.

III. THIS second letter, beloved, I now write to you; in

- both which I stir up your pure mind by putting you in remembrance; 2 that ye may be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Savior by your apostles; knowing this first, that there shall come in the last of the days scoffers, in their scoffings, walking after their own lusts, and saying: Where is the promise of his coming? for from the day the fathers fell asleep, all things so continue, from the beginning of the creation. 5 For of this they willingly are ignorant, that by the word of God there were heavens of old, and earth framed out of water