⁸But let not this particular be concealed from you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹The Lord doth not delay the promise (as some count it delay); but is longsuffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should have space for repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come as a thief by night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a rushing noise, and the first principles of matter in flames dissolve, and the earth and all the works upon it be burnt up. ¹¹Seeing then that all these things must be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in a course of holy conduct and acts of piety, ¹²expecting and hastening towards the coming of God’s day, at which the heavens on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements in flames be melted as wax? ¹³But we expect according to his promise new heavens and a new earth in which dwelleth righteousness. ¹⁴Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye are expecting these things, be diligent to be found of him in peace, spotless and blameless. ¹⁵And account the long suffering of our Lord conducive to salvation; as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, hath written unto you; ¹⁶as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, of which some are difficult to be understood, which the uninstructed and the unstable torture, as indeed they do the rest of the scriptures unto their own destruction. ¹⁷Ye therefore, beloved, knowing this before, be on your guard, that ye be not carried away with the delusion of these lawless men, and fall from your own stedfastness. ¹⁸But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.

[THE]

FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE

THE APOSTLE JOHN.

CHAP. I.

THAT which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have gazed upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life; ²(for the life was manifested, and we have beheld it, and bear testimony, and declare unto you that life eternal, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us;) ³that which we have seen and heard, declare we to you, that ye also may have communion with us: and indeed our communion is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be complete.

⁵And this is the promise which we have heard from him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and that darkness in him there is none. ⁶If we say that we have communion with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and practise not the truth: ⁷but if we walk in the light, as he is himself in the light, we have communion with each other, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. ⁸If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, faithful is he and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.