6 Wherefore it is contained | nors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of those who do evil, and for the praise of those who do well: 15 (for such is the will of God, that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of inconsiderate men :) 16 as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as the servants of God. 17 Honour all men: love the brotherhood: fear God: honour the king.

in the scripture, "Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone, chosen, and honourable: and he who believeth on him shall not be ashamed." 7 To you therefore who believe, he is the honour: but to those who disbelieve," this stone which the builders rejected, is become the head of the corner," 8 and "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence," even to those who stumble at the word; disbelieving that to which they were even appointed.

18 SERVANTS, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this is wellpleasing, if any one for consci

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased peo-ence towards God endure grief, ple; that ye may show forth the virtues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his wonderful light: 10 who in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

*

suffering wrongfully. 20 For what praise is it, if, having committed faults and are buffeted, ye bear it patiently? But if, having done well and suffer, ye bear it patiently, this is wellpleasing to God.

21 For to this ye were called: 11 BELOVED, I beseech you as because even Christ suffered for strangers and sojourners, to ab- you, leaving you an example, stain from carnal desires, which that ye should follow his steps: war against the soul; 12 hav- 22 who did no sin, nor was guile ing your behaviour good among found in his mouth; 23 who, the nations: that, in whatsoever being reviled, reviled not again; they speak against you as evil-suffering, he threatened not; doers, because of your good but committed himself to him works which they have seen, who judgeth righteously: 24 they may glorify God in the day of visitation.

13 Submit yourselves [therefore] to every human creation of magistrates, for the Lord's sake:† whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 or to gover

and himself bare our sins in his own body on the cross, that we should die to sins, and live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye have been healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but ye are now turned

"This language is applicable to gentiles only. See also ch. i. 18; iv. 3." Newcome.

So Macknight: see his note.

Gr. tree, i. e. he removed them and carried them away: so Christ is said, Matt, viii. f7, to "bear our sicknesses,” when he healed them by his miraculous power.

to the shepherd and guardian of but, on the contrary, uttering your souls.

17 For it is better that ye suffer, if the will of God be so, 8 FINALLY, be all of the same having done well, than having mind, be compassionate, be full done ill. 18 For even Christ of brotherly kindness, be ten- suffered once for sins, the derly affectioned, be humble-righteous for the unrighteous, minded: 9 not rendering evil for that he might bring us to God; evil, nor reviling for reviling; being put to death indeed in the

+ Gr. vessel.

Christ suffered for sin, not by bearing the punishment due to sin, but to introduce and ratify a dispensation, by which the idolatrous heathen should be admitted into covenant with God. See Heb. vii. 27, and the note there.

ness, in evil desires, in excess of wine, in revellings, in banquetings, and in wicked idolatries: 4 and they think it

flesh, but restored to life by the spirit; 19 in which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison;* 20 such as in former timest were hard to be convinc-strange that ye run not with ed; as when the long-sufferings them herein to the same excess of God earnestly waited in the of dissoluteness, speaking evil days of Noah, while the ark of you: 5 but they will give was preparing, wherein few account to him who is prepared (that is, eight) lives were saved to judge the living and the dead. by water. 21 The likeness of 6 For to this end the gospel which, even baptism, now sav- hath been preached to those eth us also, (not a putting away also who were dead in sins,|| of the filth of the flesh, but an that they might be judged acanswer of a good conscience cording to men in the flesh, towards God,) through the re- but live according to God in surrection of Jesus Christ; 22 the spirit. who is gone into heaven, and is 7 NOW the end of all things on the right hand of God; mes-is near: be ye therefore sober, sengers and authorities and and watch unto prayer. 8 And powers having been made sub-above all things have fervent ject to him.§

CH. IV. 1 Since therefore Christ hath suffered [for us] in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; (for he who hath suffered [in] the flesh, hath ceased from sin;) 2 that ye may not live the rest of your time in the flesh, according to the desires of men, but according to the will of God.

love among yourselves: for love covereth a multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without murmurings. 10 According as every man hath received the free gift of the spirit, so minister it one to another, as good stewards of the manifold favour of God.

11 If any one speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if 3 For the time past [of our any one minister, let him do it life] may suffice [us] to have as of the ability which God wrought the will of the nations, supplieth: that God may be when we walked in lascivious-glorified in all things through

i. e. By the holy spirit, which after his ascension (see ver. 22.) he communicated to his apostles, he preached to spirits, i. e. to persons in prison, to idolatrous heathen, the slaves of ignorance and vice he thus proclaimed liberty to the captives; Isaiah xlii. 6, 7; xlix. 9. The Pri mate's version is, " by which also he went and preached to the spirits now in prison." Im. Ver.

note.

+ "He preached, not to the same individual persons, but to men like them, in the same circumstances, to the race of the gentiles, to the descendants of those who had formerly been disobedient, and refused the call of the spirit in Noah's time. But it was now very different. Many had been obedient. The apostle is contrasting the success of the gospel with the unsuccessfulness of Noah's preaching under the direction of the same spirit of God." Ibid. i. e. the water supporting the ark.

Christ in his exalted state was empowered to send out messengers and ministers, with au thority to preach the gospel and to furnish them with the gifts and powers of the holy spirit to ensure success. See Simpson's Essays, p. 364.

See Eph. ii. 5, 6.

Jesus Christ; to whom belong-will be manifested; 2 feed the

eth praise and dominion to the ages of ages. Amen.

12 BELOVED, be not surprised at the fiery persecution among you, which cometh to pass for your trial, as though some strange thing befel you : 13 but be glad, inasmuch as ye share the sufferings of Christ; that, when his glory shall be manifested, ye may be also glad with exceeding joy.

14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye for the spirit of glory, and of power, and of God, resteth 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 as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busy medler in other men's affairs. 16 But if any one suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this account.

flock of God which is among you, being overseers of it, not by constraint, but willinglý; nor for base gain, but with a ready mind; 3 nor as domineering over those alloted to you, but as being examples to the flock. 4 And, when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive an unfading crown of glory.

5 Likewise, ye younger, be subject to the elder. Yea, all of you [be subject] one to another, and be clothed with humility: for "God resisteth the proud; but bestoweth favour on the humble."

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 having cast all your anxiety upon Him, inasmuch as He careth for you. 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the impostor walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom resist, stedfast in the faith; knowing that the same sufferings are undergone by your brethren who are in the world.

17 For the time is come when this condemnation must begin from the house of God: and if it begin from us, what will the end be of those who believe not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous be scarcely preserved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let those also, who suffer according to the will offered a short time, prepare, God, commit the keeping of their lives to him in well-doing, as to a faithful creator.

CH. V. 1 THE elders that are among you I exhort, that am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and an heir also of the glory which

10 NOW the God of all favour, himself, who hath called us to his aionian glory in Christ Jesus, after ye shall have suf

support, strengthen, [establish]
[you.] 11 To him be [glory
and] dominion to the ages of
ages. Amen.

12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother to you, as I suppose, I have written in few words; exhorting you, and testifying that

this is the true favour of God | 14 Salute ye one another with in which ye stand. 13 The a kiss of love. Peace be with church which is at Babylon, cho- you all who are in Christ [Jesen together with you, saluteth | sus.]

you and so doth Mark, my son.

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.*

CHAP. I.

and to patience godliness, 7 and to godliness brotherly-kindness, and to brotherly-kindness love.

8 For these things being in you, and abounding, they will make you thrive and bear fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he who hath not these things is blind, closing his eyes, and hath forgotten his former purification

1 SIMON Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us, through the justification of our God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 favour and peace be multiplied to you, through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. 3 SEEING that his divine pow-from his sins. er hath given us all things relating to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his glory and virtue 4 (through which very great and precious promises are given to us, that through these ye might be partakers of a divine nature, having escaped the corruption which is in the world through evil desire :) 5 now, to this end, use all diligence, and add to your faith fortitude, and to fortitude knowledge, 6 and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience,

:

10 Wherefore, brethren, more earnestly endeavour to make your calling and election sure: for, if ye do these things, ye will never fall: 11 for thus an entrance into the aionian kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will be richly ministered to you.

12 WHEREFORE I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things; though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 13 Yet I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by

"This epistle is placed by Eusebius amongst those books of the New Testament, the genuineness of which was disputed in the primitive ages. Of these Dr. Lardner says, they should be allowed to be publicly read in Christian assemblies for the edification of the people, but not to be alledged as affording alone sufficient proof of any doctrine.' Lardner's Hist. of the Apostles, vol. i. ch. ii. Some have thought the first and third chapters genuine, but from the difference of style have doubted of the second." Im. Ver. note.