An exhortation THE HE elder a unto the elect lady b and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2 For the truth's sake which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever: 3 Grace be with you, merey, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Fa Chap. i. ther. 5 And now I heseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. a The elder, I the aged apostle. b Elect lady; it is not known, who this woman was, but probably a person of note and distinction. to perseverance. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. PREFATORY REMARKS TO THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN. THIS short Epistle is inscribed to a person named Gaius or Caius, a common name among the Romans. The name of Gaius Gaius commended III. John. for his piety, &c. frequently occurs in the history of the Acts, but who this Gaius was, is not known. In this Epistle John commends Gaius for his kindness and hospitality to some brethren and strangers, who, in journeying among the Gentiles, had come to the place where he lived, and encourages him to shew them the like kindness in future: he reproves Diotrephes for his arrogance in assuming undue authority in the church, of which Gaius was a member, and cen sures him for refusing to assist the brethren, and for hindering those, who were desirous of doing it, and he informed Gaius that he expected soon to see him. This Epistle and the preceding were probably written about the year 91 or 92. THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN. ness of thy charity before the church; whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We, therefore, ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth. 9 I wrote unto the church; but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not. I 10 Wherefore, if I come, will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words; and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. 11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God; but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 12 Demetrius hath good re Frefatory port of all men, and of the truth itself; yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. Jude. 13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: remarks. 14 But I trust I shal shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name. PREFATORY REMARKS TO THE CATHOLIC OR GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE. JUDE OF JUDAS, the author of this Epistle, was the son of Alpheus, and the brother of James. He was one of those, who, on account of their relation to Jesus, were called his brethren. Matt. xiii. 55. Jude is thought to have written this Epistle at an advanced age, and but a short time before his death; probably as late as the year 70, or 75. Little is known with certainty concerning the life of this apostle. In the latter part of the apostolical age, many false teachers had arisen and were going about speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them, as St. Paul had predicted, Acts xx. 30. These were the same persons, or were similar to those, against whom Peter, James, and John wrote. They perverted Paul's doctrine concerning justification, and resolved the whole of Christianity into the speculative belief, and outward profession of the Gospel. They also taught their followers to live in all manner of licentiousness, and still flattered them with the hope of the favour of God and of eternal life. Wherefore to shew the falsehood and impiety of these doctrines, and to secure the disciples from being seduced by them, Jude wrote this Epistle in which, by facts recorded in the Jewish scriptures, he proves that as God had already punished the angels who sinned, notwithstanding their dignity, and the antideluvians, notwithstanding their numbers, so he will most assuredly punish all obstinate sinners in the severest manner. ¶ THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE. 1 He exhorteth them to be constant in the profession of the faith. 4 False teachers are crept in to seduce them, Jude. constancy in faith. 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. Exhortation to for whose damnable doctrine and manners horrible punishment is prepared: 20 whereas the godly, by the assistance of the holy Spirit, and prayers to God, may persevere and grow in grace, and keep themselves, and recover others out of the snares of those deceivers. UDE, the servant of Jesus Christ, & brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. The body of Moses. It is supposed that Jude in this verse alludes to Zech. iii. I, and that the body of Moses signifies the body of the laws of Moses, as the body of Christ signifies the church of Christ. What the apostle says, seems to be this: But how much more gentle than these men, was Michael the archangel, who although opposed by the devil in his benevolent design of restoring to the Israelites the Jewish church and state by Joshua the high priest, did not revile that apostate spirit, but only said to him mildly, the Lord rebuke thee, Satan. Of false teachers Jude. bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not; but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. and doctrines. 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words, which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you, there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a differ ence: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24 Now, unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless |
