I PETER IV. 6-17. 6. For because of this [judgment], announcement was made also to the dead, that they might be judged as men [will be who are} in the flesh, and might live unto God in spirit. 7. Moreover, the end of all has come near; for this reason be sober-minded, and give yourselves watchfully to prayer. 8. And before everything, let there be ardent love among you one toward another; for love covers [by forgiveness] a multitude of sins. 9. And be ye kind to strangers, without murmuring. 10. And let everyone of you serve his neighbours with the gift which he has received from God, as good stewards of the different favour-gifts of God. 11. Let everyone who shall speak, speak as the word of God [does]; and let everyone who serves, [do so] as from the power which God gives him; that in all things which ye do, God may be glorified by means of Jesus the Anointed; whose are glory and honour for ever and ever. Amen. 12. My beloved, be not astonished by the trials which come to you, as if something foreign [from what ought to be], were happening to you; because they come to test you. 13. But rejoice that ye share the sufferings of the Anointed, that so also when his glory shall be revealed, ye may rejoice and be glad exceedingly. 14. And if ye are reproached on account of the name of the Anointed, blessed are ye; because the glorious Spirit of God rests on you. 15. Only let no one of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as a doer of evil deeds. 16. But if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on account of [bearing] this very name. 17. Because it is a time in which judgment will begin from the house of God; but if it begins from us, what is to be the end of those who I PETER IV. 6-17. 6. For with view to this [judgment] a good message was sent to the dead also, that they might be judged according to men [who are] in the flesh, but live according to God in spirit. 7. But the end of all things has come near; (a) be ye, therefore, sober-minded, and watchful as to prayers. 8. And before all things have fervent love one towards another, for love will cover [by forgiveness] a multitude of sins. 9. Receive each other kindly as visitors, without murmurings. 10. According to the favour-gift which each has received, use it for serving one another, as good stewards of the various favour-gifts of God. 11. If anyone speaks, [let him speak] as the words of God [speak]; if any one serves, [let him do so] as by the strength which God supplies; that in all things God may be glorified by means of Jesus the Anointed; whose is the glory, and whose the dominion, for ever and ever. Amen. 12. Beloved, do not look on the putting of you into the fire to test you, which is happening among you, as strange; as if a strange thing were happening to you; 13. but in that ye share the sufferings of the Anointed, rejoice; that also, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may rejoice with exceedingly great joy. 14. If ye are reproached on account of the name of the Anointed, blessed [are ye]; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. By them he is blasphemed; but by you he is glorified. (b) 15. For let not anyone of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or an overseer of another's [charge]. (b) 16. But if [one suffers] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this account. 17. For the time [is one in which] inflicted judgment is to begin at the house of God; and if [suffered] (a) Ver. 7. Compare Matt. xxiv. 14. "Then shall the end come;" and verse 16, "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." The end referred to by Peter may be that end of the Hebrew dispensation and worship. (b. b.) Neither the words, "By them he is blasphemed, but by you he is glorified," verse 14: nor the words, "as an overseer of another's [charge);" verse 15: are in any of my copies of the Peshito-Syriac text; namely Walton's, 1653-7; Gutbir's, 1663; the Maronite, 1703; Schaaf's, 1717, and his readings of all previous e litions; Lee's, 1816; and the Nestorian of Ooroomiah, 1852. Most of the Greek copies have those words, but this testimony of the Peshito-Syriac is entirely against them. I PETER IV. 17-19. V. 1-12. obey not the message of God? 18. And if the righteous man enters life [-bliss] with difficulty, where will the ungodly person and the sinner be found? 19. For this reason, let those who suffer by the will of God, intrust, by good deeds, their souls to him as to [their] trustworthy Creator. V. 1. I also beseech the elders who are among you,-I, an elder, your associate, and one who bears witness to the sufferings of the Anointed, and who is to share his glory, which is in the future to be revealed;-2. Tend as shepherds the flock of God which is committed to you, and take care of it spiritually, not by being urged, but willingly; not for polluted gains, but with your whole heart; 3, not as lords of the flock, but as those who are to set them a good example; 4, that when the Chief Shepherd shall be revealed, ye may receive from him a crown of glory which fades not away. 5. And ye younger, submit yourselves to your elders; and be tightly wrapped round with humility of mind, one towards another; because God is opposed to those who exalt themselves, and gives favour-gifts to the humble. 6. Therefore humble yourselves [while] under the mighty hand of God, that it may exalt you at the fit time. 7. And cast all your anxious care on God, for he himself cares for you. 8. Be watchful, and mindful; because your enemy, Satan, like a lion, roars, and walks about, and seeks for someone to devour. 9. Therefore resist him, and be firm in trust; and know that these same sufferings are happening also to your brothers who are in the world. 10. Now to the God of favour-gifts, who has called us to his eternal glory by means of Jesus the Anointed, [and] who has granted us that, by bearing patiently these little afflictions, we should be strengthened, and made firm, and be made to stand in him for ever,11, to him be glory, and dominion, and honour, for ever and ever. Amen. 12. These, as I think them, few things, I have written to you by means of I PETER IV. 17-19. V. 1-12. first by us, what will be the end of those who obey not the good message of God? 18. And if the righteous man is saved with difficulty, where will the ungodly one and the sinner appear? 19. So that let even those who suffer, according to the will of God, intrust, by well-doing, their souls to [him] as to [their] trustworthy Creator. V. 1. The elders who are among you, I beseech,-I, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness-bearer to the sufferings of the Anointed, and who am to share the glory which in the future is to be revealed;-2. Tend as shepherds the flock of God [which is] among you, taking the oversight, not constrained by necessity, but willingly; nor for vile gain, but with readiness of mind; 3, nor as being lords of [God's] possessions, but being examples to the flock; 4, and when the Chief Shepherd shall be made manifest, ye will receive the crown of glory which fades not away. 5. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves to the elders; and all of you submit yourselves one to another; (a) and wrap yourselves round with humility; for God opposes the proud, but gives favour-gifts to the humble. 6. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the fit time; 7, and cast all your anxious care on him, for he cares for you. 8. Be cautious, be watchful; for your adversary, the false-accuser, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking someone to devour; 9, whom resist, firm in trust, knowing that the same sufferings are taking place among those of your brotherhood who are in the world. 10. And to the God of all gracious favour, who bas called us to his eternal glory by Jesus the Anointed, [and] who himself [is] to perfect you, to fix [you] firmly, to strengthen you, and to give [you] a sure foundation, by means of your having suffered a little,-11, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 12. I have written to you in few [words], as I think, by means of Salvanus, the (a) Ver. 5. In this verse some Greek copies have no repetition of "submit yourselves; and that part of the verse reads nearly as the Syriac does, thus,-" and all of you, wrap yourselves round with humility one towards another." ONE OF THE TWELVE CHIEF MESSENGERS. The Peshito-Syriac Text. NEXT: THE LETTER OF JOHN, THE CHIEF MESSENGER. I JOHN I. 1-10. II. 1-2. I. 1. We declare to you him who was from the beginning; him whom we heard, and saw with our eyes; [him whom] we saw, and touched with our hands; him who is the Word of Life. 2. And the Life was revealed; and we saw, and do bear witness, and proclaim to you, the Life which is for ever; that [Life] which was with the Father, and was revealed to us. 3. And that which we saw and heard, we make known to you also, that ye may be in association with us; and our own association is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus the Anointed. 4. And these things we write to you, that our joy which is in you may be made full. 5. And this is the message which we heard from him, and declare to you,that God is light, and that in him is no darkness at all; 6, and that if we say that we are associated with him, and yet walk in darkness, we are liars, and go not in the path of truth; 7, but that if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, [he and] we are associated one with another, and that the blood of Jesus his Son purifies us from all our sins. 8. And that if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; 9, but that if we confess our sins, he is trustworthy and righteous in that he will forgive us our sins, and will purify us from all our wickedness. 10. And that if we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not with us. II. 1. My sons, I write these things to you, that ye may not sin; and yet, if any one sins, we have One who pleads with the Father, Jesus, the Anointed, the Righteous One. 2. For he himself is the atonement for our sins, and not on The Greek Text. THE GENERAL FIRST LETTER OF JOHN. I JOHN I. 1-10. II. 1-2. I. 1. That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes; that which we beheld, and our hands touched, as the Word of Life, [we declare to you]; 2, and the Life was made manifest; and we have seen, and do bear witness, and declare to you the Eternal Life which was with the Father, and was manifested to us; 3, that which we have seen, and have heard, we declare to you, that ye also may have association with us; and our association is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus the Anointed. 4. And these things we write to you that your (a) joy may be made full. 5. And this is the message which we have heard from him, and declare to you, -that God is light, and that in him there is no darkness at all; 6, that if we say that we are associated with him, and yet walk in darkness, we lie, and do not act according to truth; 7, but that if we walk in the light as he is in the light, [he and] we are associated one with another, and that the blood of Jesus, the Anointed, (a) his Son, purifies us from all sin; 8, that if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; 9, that if we confess our sins, he is trustworthy and righteous, so that he will forgive us [our] sins, and will purify us from all unrighteousness: 10, that if we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. II. 1. My little children, I am writing these things to you, that ye may not sin; and yet if anyone shall sin, we have One who pleads with the Father, Jesus, the Anointed, the Righteous. 2. And he himself is the atonement for our (a. a.) In verses 4 and 7, some Greek copies have "our" for "your;" and have not "the Anointed." I JOHN II. 2-14. behalf of ours only, but also on behalf of [those of] the whole world. (a) 3. And by this we are made conscious that we know him ;-if we keep his commands. 4. For he who says,-I know him, and yet does not keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5. But in him who keeps his word, the love of God is in very truth made complete; for by this we know that we are in him. 6. He who says,-I am in him,-ought himself to walk in the same ways in which he [Jesus] walked. 7. My beloved, I am not writing to you a new command, but an old command, which ye received from the beginning; and the old command is that word which ye heard. 8. Again, I am writing to you a new command; which [fact] is true in respect of him, and in respect of you; because darkness has passed away, and the True Light has begun to be seen. 9. He therefore, who says that he is in the Light, and yet hates his brother, is in the darkness until now. 10. He who loves his brother continues in the Light, and there is no stone of stumbling in respect of him. 11. But he who hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not whither he goes, because darkness has blinded his eyes. 12. I write to you, sons, because your sins have been forgiven you, because of his name. 13. I write to you, fathers, because ye have known him who was from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because ye have conquered the evil one. I have written to you, boys, because ye have known the Father; 14, I have written to you, fathers, because ye have known him who was from I JOHN II. 2-14. sins, and not for ours only, but also for [those of] the whole world. (a) 3. And by this we know that we know him, if we keep his commands. 4. He who says,-I know him, and does not keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5, but whoever shall keep his word, in him the love of God is truly completed. By this we know that we are in him. 6. He who says that he continues in him, ought himself also to walk so as he [Jesus] walked. 7. [My] brothers, (b) I am not writing to you a new command, but an old command, which ye had from the beginning; the old command is the word which ye heard from the beginning. (c) 8. Again; I am writing to you a new command; which [fact] is true in respect of him, and in respect of you; because the darkness passes away, and the True Light now appears. 9. He who says that he is in the Light, and yet hates his brother, is in the darkness until now. 10. He who loves his brother continues in the Light, and in respect of him there is no stumbling-block. 11. But he who hates his brother, is in the darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not whither he goes, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12. I write to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you because of his name. 13. I write to you, fathers, because ye have known him [who was] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because ye have conquered the evil I write (c) to you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14. I have written to you, fathers, be one. (a) II. 2. This letter, like the letters of Peter and James, seems to have been written to Hebrew Christians. "Our sins;" seem to be those of Hebrews, who "walked in light," and who were "purified from all sins;" i. 7. "[Those of] the whole world," must, of necessity, mean the sins of those in the whole world, who "walk in the light, and are purified from sins," as in the case of Hebrews. Atonement is the "purging away of sins;" Heb. 1. 3. Atonement extends to none but to those who, by its efficacy, are brought to "trust in the blood of Jesus;" Rom. iii. 25. Whenever sins were atoned for, under the law, they were forgiven. Lev. v. 10, 13, 16, 18, etc. If sins remain unpardoned, at last, it is proof they were not atoned for, were not "purged away." James, Peter, and John laboured chiefly among the Hebrews. Gal. ii. 9. (b) II. 7. Some Greek copies have, like the Syriac, "beloved," instead of "brothers." (c. c) Verses 7, 13. Some Greek copies have not, "from the beginning;" ver. 7; and some have, "I have written," instead of "I write," ver. 13; and are like the Syriac. |