Letters to the Churches

The Lord delayeth not his promise, as some imagine, but dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance,

But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief, in which the heavens shall pass away with great violence and the elements shall be melted with heat and the earth and the works which are in it shall be burnt up.

Seeing then that all these things are to be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in holy conversation and godliness?

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord, by which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with the burning heat?

But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promises, in which justice dwelleth.

Wherefore, dearly beloved, waiting for these things, be diligent that you may be found before him unspotted and blameless in peace.

And account the longsuffering of our Lord, salvation: as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you:

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.

You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness.

But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and unto the day of eternity, Amen.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled, of the word of life.

For the life was manifested: and we have seen and do bear witness and declare unto you the life eternal, which was with the Father and hath appeared to us.

That which we have seen and have heard, we declare unto you: that you also may have fellowship with us and our fellowship may be with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

And these things we write to you, that you may rejoice and your joy may be full.

And this is the declaration which we have heard from him and declare unto you: That God is light and in him there is no darkness.

If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.

But if we walk in the light, as he also is in the light, we have fellowship one with another: And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar: and his word is not in us.

My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just.

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

And by this we know that we have known him, if we keep his commandments.

He who saith that he knoweth him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar: and the truth is not in him.

But he that keepeth his word, in him in very deed the charity of God is perfected. And by this we know that we are in him.