20 Being zealous of what is good; abstaining from all offence, and from false brethren; and from those who bear the name of Christ in hypocrisy; who deceive vain men.
CHAPTER III.
1 As to faith in our Saviour Christ;
his nature and sufferings, the resurrection and judgment.
3 Exhorts to prayer
5 and steadfastness in the faith, from the examples of Christ,
7 and Apostles and saints, and exhorts to carefulness
in all well-doing.
FOR whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, he is Antichrist: and whoever does not confess his suffering upon the cross, is from the devil.
2 And whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there shall. neither be any resurrection, nor judgment, he is the first-born of Satan.
3 Wherefore leaving the vanity of many, and their false doctrines; let us return to the word that was delivered to us from the beginning: Watching unto prayer; and persevering in fasting;
4 With supplication beseeching the all seeing God not to lead us into temptation; as the Lord hath said, The spirit is truly willing, but the flesh is weak.
5 Let us therefore without ceasing hold steadfastly to him who is our hope, and the earnest of our righteousnes, even Jesus Christ; Who, his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the tree: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; but suffered all for us that we might live through him.
6 Let us therefore imitate his patience; and if we suffer for his name, let us glorify him; for this example he has given us by himself, and so have we believed.
7 Wherefore I exhort all of you that ye obey the word of righteousness, and exercise all patience; which ye have seen set forth before your eyes, not only in the blessed Ignatius, and Zozimus, and Rufus; but in others among yourselves; and in Paul himself, and the rest of the Apostles: