General Epistles

1James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. The book of James has elicited considerable debate throughout Christian history. Martin Luther considered it a “strawy epistle” because of...

1James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. The book of James is often set in contrast to the writings of the apostle Paul, yet both refer to themselves as “a bond-servant” of God...

2Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Right away James jumps into the present felt needs that are common to all Christians, dealing with the trials of life. Jesus had...

4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. Patience, endurance,...

6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable in all his...

9But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower...

12Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Endurance is a hallmark of genuineness. The Christian life is not a 100-yard dash but a...

13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. New believers find help from our passage...

14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Temptation begins in the heart. Outside circumstances can influence us...

16Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word...

19This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. When Moses descended from Mount Sinai and saw the people worshiping a golden calf...

21Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. James brings the lofty principles of righteousness within reach for everyday life. Anger is just the first...

22But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he...

26If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their...

1My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3and you...

5Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Despite his terseness, James refers to his readers as “beloved...

6. . . Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? Showing favoritism toward the rich and famous only puts us at a disadvantage. When we kowtow to them, we concede...

8If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. Does not James sound quite a bit like the Lord Jesus Christ? All three of the synoptic gospels (Matt. 19:19, Mark...

9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not...

12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. Keeping the law of love is not just a feeling, a spiritual warm glow. Nor is it just a...

14What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? James cuts to a biting, almost acerbic tone; he has been building up toward it. He calls the very faith into question of anyone who “has no works.” This...

15If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? James just asserted that “works”...

17Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. "Dead faith.” Stark, poignant, terse, authoritatively spoken. An oxymoron, a contradiction of terms: faith that is dead. How can that be? Of course, a dead faith is no faith at all; it is not...

18But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James pits two men arguing their perspectives on the relationship between faith and works. He begins with “someone”...

19You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? As if the point had not already been adequately and convincingly made, James...

21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? God is one (Deut. 6:4), completely unified in Himself and thus, by definition. He cannot contradict Himself, for that would be an inherent contradiction in...

21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? This statement is completely true, and the apostle Paul would agree with it, as James uses it in context. Let’s look briefly at Abraham’s justification. Paul takes...

22You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God....

24You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. Now James brings it all together to make his point (but then he follows it up with one more OT illustration). Clearly, he is writing to people with an OT background and understanding. All...

25In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. Finishing out his brief treatise on...

1Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. The subject turns to tongue control, an obvious metaphor for how we speak to people. This follows after James’ dealing with faith and works, and it...

2For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. No one is perfect; we all know that. The apostle John wrote similarly: “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving...

3Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. 4Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the...

5. . . See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by...

7For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. That James speaks with hyperbole is without...

9With it [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11Does a fountain send out from...

13Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. James' teaching up to now has been prophetic and authoritative, reminiscent of his divine half-brother, Jesus. Now, using words familiar to...

14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. Behavior that does not demonstrate “gentleness in wisdom” (James 3:13) is abundantly evident. James lists four examples here, familiar to...

15This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. Sometimes Christians ignore the biblical mandate to think wisely because they...

17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Wouldn’t it be great to have...

1What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? Behind every human conflict lies an inner war. This passage is not to be taken simply as literary hyperbole; James is not using...

2You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures....

4You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Camping up his prophetic charge, James now equates acting on the temptation to...

5Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? God is jealous for us. That may seem startling, since jealousy is usually considered a bad thing. How can God be jealous, when He is...

6But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The truth of God’s jealousy for us carries enormous implications. Since He desires us so greatly, He lavishes us with His unmerited favor. That...

7Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. At the core of our lives here on earth as created beings, we must choose our master. We are not as autonomous and independent as we would like to think. We will serve someone or something....

7Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. The devil will flee when we resist him—that is a promise of the holy, inspired, inerrant Word of God. The truth is laid out here, as straightforward as God can make it. In today’s...

8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves in the presence...

11Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. One of the most common refrains among...

12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? Numerous epithets are given to our Lord in the NT epistles, including Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Heb. 3:1), Author...

13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while...

16But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Arrogance is bad, we all know that, as is some boasting. But not all boasting. The question is this: what are you boasting about? Arrogant boasting is bad—that’s undebatable! We would be...

17Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. Living the God-honoring, Christlike life is not about passive morality, just avoiding doing what is wrong. It is also about actively doing what is right. James has...

1Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your...

4Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 5You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a...

6You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you. Death by being overworked and underpaid—that’s how many commentators understand this verse. This, as it were, is the ultimate power the rich have over the poor: complete control...

7Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. 8You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is...

8You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. Impatience allows all kinds of sin to...

10As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of...

12But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment. This verse seems oddly out of place. Some suggest James is going into his...

13Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. We now pivot to a critical and often controversial passage on healing. Our verse today sets the tone and the context. Suffering and cheerfulness are set in...

14Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and...

15. . . if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Whether James teaches us to seek...

17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. Elijah had a...

19My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. Our faithful author of this letter, in keeping...

1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia . . . So begins the first of only two letters we have from the apostle Peter. Given that Christian history has revered him...

1… who are chosen 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Setting the theological foundation for his...

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead … How can we possibly bless God, who owns everything (Ps....

3. . . [God] has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who are protected by the...

6In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to...

7. . . the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ . . . While our faith in one sense is precious to us, it is...

. . . 8and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. Christianity is...

10As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and...

12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look. True...

13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Three applications we need to keep before us, three commands to sharpen our thinking, three...

14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” The call to...

17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of...

20For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. In this...

22Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and...

24For, “All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off, 25But the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word which was preached to you. In case we missed it, Peter further...

1Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord....

4And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to...

6For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” Driving home the imagery, Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16. God’s most choice, most precious work in the world...

7This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone," 8and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to...

7… “The stone which the builders rejected, this became … a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. Christ is the dividing line between life and death. He...

9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10for you once were not a people, but now you are...

11Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 12Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds,...

13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. Submission in our world today is a negative...

15For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor...

18Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering...

21For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth . . . Our lives have purpose. As believers, we don’t wander...

... 23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously … Suffering is part of life in a fallen world; we all experience it in some form or another. So...

... 24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. Two great truths come to us in this passage: first, what Christ has done for us, and second, the model we...

25For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. Remember, Peter is writing to persecuted, displaced believers who were going through tremendous trials. They were forced from their homes,...

1In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. We now reprise the...

1In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. What does a woman do...

3Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God....

5For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; 6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being...

7You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. Husbands have the more difficult...

8To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing....

10For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 11He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. 12For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,...

13Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always...

. . . 15but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts . . . What does it mean to sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts, in our minds? Let the Spirit teach us as we meditate on these Scriptures: [Do] not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the...

17For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. A skeptical Christian once said, “If I am going to suffer whether I do good or not, I might as well do whatever I want and enjoy it!”...

18For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20who...

21Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and...

1Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of...

3For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. Peter is a realist, and although he has been a...

4In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; 5but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Unbelievers look at Christians like we are nuts. They...

6For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. Some think this verse supports a second chance for unbelievers to hear...

7The end of all things is near . . . Make no mistake about it, the NT writers portray the end times as being near. Yet they wrote almost two millennia ago, and the Lord has not yet returned. What gives? We can’t deny that the end times are nearer today than...

7The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. With patient and enduring anticipation of Christ’s return, we focus on the here and now, with four imperatives. After all, what we believe must...

8Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9Be hospitable to one another without complaint. What does taking control of our minds look like practically? Some think of monasticism as the ultimate...

10As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the...

12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the...

14If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. The theme of unjust suffering runs through Peter’s letter (e.g., 1 Peter 2:19–20, 3:14–16) as well as the entire NT (e.g., Matt. 5:10–12, John...

15Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. While suffering for Christ’s name should be the means...

17For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the...

1Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed . . . Even during times of persecution, godly leadership is necessary. Remember Peter is writing...

. . . 2shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be...

5You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Addressing the men, Peter assumes the normal course of spiritual growth...

6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. We all want exaltation, from the most egotistical of us to the most abased. We relish in it, or...

8Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are...

10After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 11To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. Wow, what a promise! God will allow...

12Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! 13She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does...

1Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours . . . This second letter of Peter’s sees a change in his personal ID from his first letter. In the other he was “Peter, an apostle of Jesus...

1 . . . to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ . . . Peter’s audience presumably is the same as that of his first letter: believers scattered across the northeastern Mediterranean...

2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence....

4For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. By what? By the glory and excellence of our Lord, whose power...

5Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7and in...

5Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7and in...

8For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his...

10Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ...

12Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. Peter has conveyed truth in his letters that is not new. He is referring not only to what...

13I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15And I will also be diligent that at...

16For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. Christianity is based on eyewitness testimonies since none of us can go back and check out the...

17For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— 18and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him...

19So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. Seeing is believing” is an often-repeated proverb. Disputes are often...

20But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,...

1But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Our commitment to the...

2Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. Typically, daily...

2Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. False teachers give...

4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He...

. . .  6and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; 7and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of...

. . .  9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do...

12But these [false prophets], like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13suffering wrong as the wages of doing...

. . . 15 [False prophets] forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a...

. . . 15 [False prophets] forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a...

17These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. 18For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,...

20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would be better for them...

1This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your...

1This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your...

3Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of...

4 . . .“For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” 5For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and...

7But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. The Lord gives His word about this—there is a final judgment coming. It will differ from the judgment during Noah’s time,...

8But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The false teachers had a skewed understanding of God’s way of viewing time, and we believers must not allow...

9The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. The Lord is not slow! What a statement to make. That is the flat-out response to those claiming that...

10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. The universe as we know it will end in an apocalyptic...

11Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements...

13But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Beyond vindication and judgment, our ultimate focus is on the “beyond”: the new heavens and a new earth. Scripture gives precious little information...

14Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation . . . In light of the coming cataclysmic judgment on the earth, believers might be...

15. . . just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do...

17You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be...

. . . 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. The second principle we need to define our spiritual progress is “to grow in the . . . knowledge of our Lord and...

18. . . Amen. Peter finishes his letter with one of the most common words in the NT and in the Christian vocabulary. The term “amen” carries a sense of conclusion, affirmation, and agreement. The psalmist encourages us: Blessed be the Lord, the God of...

1What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life ... The opening to this letter we call “1 John” carries all the indicators of a personal,...

1. . . concerning the Word of Life— 2and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may...

4These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. What motivated John to write this letter? For that matter, what motivated the apostles to risk their lives and ultimately die in service of spreading the message about Jesus Christ? There was...

5This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7but if we walk in the...

8If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us . . . 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. If only we could at some point in this life arrive at the point of being sinless....

9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we walk in the light (vs. 7), if the truth is in us (vs. 8) and His Word abides in us, then we will confess our sins. This wonderful...

1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous . . . One of the most mind-blowing verses in all of Scripture is this one! Of course, all of...

1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous . . . What are the accusations against us, for which we need Jesus as our defender? With Job,...

1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins . . . Jesus Christ the righteous . . . 2 is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. God does not want us to...

3By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him … Knowledge, according to the apostle John, is rooted in...

. . . 5but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. Love for God and obedience to the Word weave...

7Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in...

8. . . the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 9The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in...

12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. Whatever stage of the Christian life you are in right now, the apostle John has something specifically for you. While we should all live out our faith...

13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning . . . We might naturally address the stages of Christian life and progress chronologically, but the apostle John moves from spiritual children to spiritual fathers, and will...

13. . . I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. Many Christians fall in between being spiritual children and fully spiritually mature. These are the ones the apostle John calls “young men,” and to these, he now writes. In a...

12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name sake . . . 13I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. Some things in Scripture bear repeating, with subtle but significant differences. The...

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning . . . 14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. John the apostle turns to the older, seasoned Christians, the “fathers,” and...

13 I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one… 14 I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Finally, we turn again to the “young men,” those in...

15Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but...

18Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they...

20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. The richness of John’s writings is in his appeal to the...

21. . . no lie is of the truth. 22Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the...

21. . . no lie is of the truth. 22Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the...

24As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26These things I...

 25This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to...

28Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 29If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him. John’s...

1See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. One of the most loved passages of Scripture flows from the words of the...

2Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. Truth be told, while we know we are children of God, we don’t always feel that we...

2. . . We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 4Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is...

6No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. 7Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil...

10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. 11For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should...

13Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer...

16We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?...

19We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;...

23This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. Scripture conveys various summary statements that give us our priorities as believers. Each is worthy of a place on our lifetime...

24The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. The theme of abiding weaves through the truth of believing in Christ. Abiding in Him is not just a mental assent....

1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. John’s heart as a loving shepherd shines through this letter. His motivation is not that of a theologian...

2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God … We take John’s warning seriously; what we believe about God and Jesus Christ matters—and it matters a great deal. The contemporary movement...

2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is...

4You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God; he who knows God...

7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. While the apostle Paul wrote the eloquent sonnet on love (1 Cor. 13), John wrote with...

9By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. Every Christian has been saturated with John 3:16, which is John’s gospel counterpart to our verse today: “For God so...

10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. To describe the apostle John’s exposition on the love of God as the...

12No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Theology and relationship mix; truth informs behavior;...

14We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. What would constitute sufficient proof that God sent Jesus to be the Savior? Scholars can verify with a high degree of historical certainty that an individual named...

15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. Confessing and...

17By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears...

19We love, because He first loved us. God always takes the initiative, period. He started everything: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth . . .” (Gen. 1:1). And He continues to be the catalyst for all things happening. Like in a chess...

20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his...

1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. The apostle John recognizes that, like today, his audience will include some who are genuine believers. Over fifty years have passed since...

2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. How do we know if we truly believe with the kind of faith...

4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? Being born again, loving God, and loving others with...

6This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: 8the Spirit and the water and the...

9If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made...

11And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the...

11And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. God has spoken in His Word to give assurance to people who believe....

13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. John speaks as clearly as possible, without ambiguity, flowery language, or big words. In today’s vernacular, he is saying, “Read...

14This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. Why does it matter whether...

14This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. The promise of answered...

16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17All...

18We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. Four times in this chapter of 1 John, the...

20And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21Little children, guard yourselves from idols. As...

1The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever . . . So begins John’s second of three letters. Though...

3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father....

5Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have...

7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full...

9Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. The teaching of unconditional and eternal love from God that can never be taken away from a...

10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. The apostle John is relentless about tying love to correct...

12Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full. 13The children of your chosen sister greet you. Closing this second letter, John’s...

1The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. The three letters of John were probably written from Asia circa A.D. 85–90, although the dates are...

3For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. 4I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. While John is not afraid to speak assertively about false teachers, he...

5Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; >6and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7For...

9I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. Serving the Lord does not come without opposition. John was an apostle, authorized by the Lord Jesus Christ as an official witness of his life...

9 . . . [Diotrephes] does not accept what we say.10For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his [Diotrephes] deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren,...

11Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 12Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that...

13I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face. 15Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name. We often skim over the...

1Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James … The book of Jude is sometimes called “the book of the apostates,” whom the author says: . . . have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly...

1Jude . . . to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ . . . We know little about Jude’s intended audience other than what we find here in this letter. Yet the letter has resonated with Christians from the earliest...

2 May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. As we have seen in other NT letters, Jude uses the standard greeting: identifying himself, describing his readers, and offering a wish for their wellbeing. This wish is no superfluous, cordial filler....

3Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. The Christian movement has long...

4For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. The battle for the truth of...

5Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. Licentious living is not good—that is an understatement! We need to...

6And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these...

8Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. 9But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a...

11Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain . . . "Woe” is a word Jesus used repeatedly to lay out His definitive statement of condemnation. Rational argument and debate are over, judgment is certain, and forewarning is thrown down. This is not an idle...

11Woe to them! . . . [F]or pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. Christian ministry can be manipulated into a lucrative business, make no mistake about that. Abuses of leadership, such as today’s...

12These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 13wild waves of the sea, casting up...

14It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which...

17But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” Here we see the great...

19These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord...

22And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Jude's heart shines through as he concludes his severe rebuke of the pseudo-believers...

24Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now...

24Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now...

We now conclude our meditation on the general letters of the New Testament. Though shorter than the other NT books, these general epistles are not theologically or spiritually minor. They address major themes and carry great devotional value for Christian...