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THE

THIRD EPISTLE

OF

JOHN.

2

THE elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I wish that thou mayest prosper in all things, 3 and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and bare testimony of the truth which is in thee, according as thou 4 walkest in truth *. I have no greater joy than in these things, to hear that my children walk in truth *.

5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully, whatsoever thou doest 6 to the brethren and to strangers; who have borne testimony of thy love before the church: whom if thou conduct on their journey in a manner worthy of God, thou 7 wilt do well. Fort they went forth for the name of God, 8 taking nothing from the gentiles. We ought therefore to receive such; that we may be fellow-labourers for the truth.

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I would have written to the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, re10 ceiveth us not, Wherefore, if I come, I will call to remembrance his deeds which he doeth, tattling against us with evil words; and, not content herewith, he receiveth not the brethren himself, and forbiddeth those that would, 11 and casteth them out of the church, Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that

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doeth good, is of God: but he that doeth evil, hath not 12 seen God. Demetrius hath a good testimony from all men, and from the truth itself; and we also bear him

testimony; and ye know that our testimony is true. 13 I had many things to write; yet I will not write to 14 thee with ink and pen: but I hope that I shall shortly see thee, when we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee, Our friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.

THE

GENERAL EPISTLE

OF

JUDE *.

JUDE, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to the called brethren who have been sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in the faith of Jesus Christ‡: 2 mercy, and peace, and love, be multiplied unto you. Beloved, while I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it became necessary for me to write unto you, and exhort you, that ye should earnestly

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contend for the faith which was once delivered to the 4 saints. For some men have crept in privily, who were before, of old, set forth for this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the favour of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Sovereign, and our Lord Jesus 5 Christ. Now I desire to remind you, who once knew this, that the Lord, having saved his people out of the

This epistle is one of those books the genuineness of which was disputed in the primitive ages, and which therefore, as Dr. Lardner well observes, “ought not to be alleged as affording alone sufficient proof of any doctrine." Grotius ascribes it to a bishop of Jerusalem in the reign of Adrian: but it is commonly believed to have been written by Judas, otherwise called Lebbeus and Thaddeus, the son of Alpheus, the brother of James the less, and first cousin to our Lord. The design of the epistle is to guard his readers against the errors and the crimes of the Gnostics. He is thought to have made quotations from the same apocryphal work which is referred to in the second epistle of Peter, which epistle Dr. Benson conjectures to have been consulted by him while he was writing his own. The epistle of Jude has as little evidence, either external or internal, in its favour, as any book of the New Testament.

† sanctified, i. e. separated or set apart to God. Brethren that are sanctified in the knowledge of God the Father, N.

Or, by, Or, to Jesus Christ, i. e. who adhere to his doctrine notwithstanding the many corrupters of it. See Newcome's note.

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land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who believed 6 not. And the angels who kept not their first state*, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in eternal chains, under darkness, to the judgement of the great 7 day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them which in like manner with them gave themselves over to uncleanness, and went after abominable desirest, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of 8 everlasting fire. In like manner also these dreamers defile the flesh, set at nought dominion, and blaspheme 9 dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when, contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not brings against him a blaspheming accusation], 10 but said, "The Lord rebuke thee." But these blaspheme what they understand not: but what they know naturally, as brute creatures, in these things they cor 11 rupt themselves. Alas for them! because they have gone

in the way of Cain, and rushed after the error of Balaam for reward, and destroyed themselves by gainsaying like 12 Korah. These are blemishes in your love-feasts, when they banquet with you, feeding themselves without restraint¶: clouds** without water, carried aside by winds; trees whose fruit withereth, barren, twice dead, plucked

*Or, "the messengers who watched not duly over their own principality, but deserted their proper habitation, he kept with perpetual chains under darkness (punished them with judicial bliudness of mind) unto the judgement of a great day, i. e. when they were destroyed by a plague." Alluding to the falsehood and punishment of the spies. Numbers xiv. See Simpson's Essays, p. 210. Perhaps, however, the writer may refer to some fanciful account of a fall of angels contained in the apocryphal book which lay before him, without meaning to vouch for that fact any more than for the incident mentioned ver. 9. He might introduce it merely to illustrate his argument. At any rate, a fact so important is not to be admitted upon such precarious evidence. + Or, followed unnatural passions, Gr. other flesh, N. m.

"Everlasting in its effects; the cities having been finally destroyed." Newcome. § Or, suffered not himself to bring. Did not presume to bring. Wakefield. "This was probably taken from the apocryphal book before mentioned. We may be instructed by the moral, without admitting the fact. Some suppose a reference to Zech. iii. 1-3." Newcome.

N.m. fear: N.

** they are as clouds—as trees—as waves—as stars, N.

13 up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom the black14 ness of darkness is reserved for ever. Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied to these also, saying*,

Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his 15 saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convict all the ungodly [among them] of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed, and of all the hard speeches 16 which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own evil desires and their mouth speaketh very swelling words, and they respect the persons of men for the sake of gain. 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which have been

spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 how they told you that there should be scoffers in the 19 last time, walking after their own ungodly desires. These are they who separate [themselves,] animal, not having the spirit.

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves in your most 21 holy faith, praying through the holy spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our 22 Lord Jesus Christ to everlasting life. And on some 23 have pity, making § a difference and save others [with fear,] snatching them out of the fire; hating even the vest || defiled by the flesh.

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Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling ¶, and to present you spotless before his glory with exceed25 ing joy, to the only God, our Saviour**, through Jesus

* This is another quotation from some antient apocryphal book, for the authenticity of which, however, the writer is not to be supposed to vouch. See Dr. Benson in loc, + Gr. with his holy myriads, N. m.

Or, But as for you, beloved, remember the words. See S. 31. N. m,

§ Or, And some rebuke, making &e. MSS. N. m.

|| Or, garment.

free from falling, N.

** Or, to God alone, our Saviour. To the only wise God, R. T.

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