The Lost Books of the Bible

CHAP. III.

1926 anthology with historical English translations and Crane introduction William Wake and Frank Crane

CHAP. III.

1 Exhorts them to prayer; to be unblameable. 5 To be careful of salvation; 11 frequent in public devotion; 13 and to live in charity.

PRAY also without ceasing for other men: for there is hope of repentance in them, that they may attain unto God. Let them therefore at least be instructed by your works, if they will be no other way.

2 Be ye mild at their anger; humble at their boasting; to their blasphemies return your prayers: to their error, your[799] firmness in the faith: when they are cruel, be ye gentle; not endeavouring to imitate their ways.

(3 Let us be their brethren in all kindness and moderation, but let us be followers of the Lord;[800] for who was ever more unjustly used? More destitute? More despised?)

4 That so no herb of the devil may be found in you: but ye may remain in all holiness and sobriety[801] both of body and spirit, in Christ Jesus.

5 The last times[802] are come upon us: let us therefore be very reverent and fear the long-suffering of God, that it be not to us e unto condemnation.

6 For let us either fear the wrath that is to come, or let us love the grace[803] that we at present enjoy: that[804] by the one, or other, of these we may be found in Christ Jesus, unto true life.

7[805] Besides him, let nothing[806] be worthy of you;[807] for whom also I bear about these bonds, those spiritual jewels, in which I would to God that I might arise through your prayers.

8 Of which I entreat you to make me always partaker, that I may be found in the lot of the Christians of Ephesus, who have always[808] agreed with the Apostles,[809] through the power of Jesus Christ.

9 I know both who I am, and to whom I write; I, a person condemned: ye, such as have obtained mercy: I, exposed to danger; ye, confirmed against danger.

10 Ye are the passage of those that are killed for God; the companions of Paul in the mysteries of the Gospel; the Holy, the[810] martyr, the deservedly most happy Paul: at whose feet may I be found, when I shall have attained unto God; who[811] throughout all his epistle, makes mention of you in Christ Jesus.

11 Let it be your care therefore to come more fully together, to the praise and glory of God. For when ye meet fully together in the same place, the powers of the devil are destroyed, and his[812] mischief is dissolved by the[813] unity of their faith.

12 And indeed, nothing is better than peace, by which all war both[814] spiritual and earthly is abolished.

13 Of all which nothing is hid from you, if ye have perfect faith and charity in Christ Jesus, which are the beginning and end of life.

14 For the beginning is faith; the end is charity. And these two[815]joined together, are of God: but all other things which concern a holy life are the consequences of these.

15 No man professing a true faith, sinneth; neither does he who has charity hate any.

16[816] The tree is made manifest by its fruit; so they who profess themselves to be Christians[817] are known by what they do.

17 For Christianity is not the work of an outward profession; but shows itself in the power of faith, if a man be found faithful unto the end.

18 It is better for a man to hold his peace, and be;[818] than to say he is a Christian and not to be.

19 It is good to teach;[819] if what he says he does likewise.

20 There is therefore one master who spake, and it was done; and even those things which he did without speaking, are worthy of the Father.

21 He that possesses the word of Jesus is truly able to hear his very silence, that he may be perfect;[820] and both do according to what he speaks, and be known by those things of which he is silent.

22 There is nothing hid from God, but even our secrets are nigh unto him.

23 Let us therefore do all things, as becomes those who have[821] God dwelling in them; that we may be his temples, and he may be our God: as also he is, and will manifest himself before our faces, by those things[822] for which we justly love him.