Chapter II
Desires their prayers, and to be
united, but not to Judaize.
MY brethren, the love I have
towards you makes me the
more large; and having a great
joy in you, I endeavour to secure
you against danger; or rather not
I, but Jesus Christ; in whom
being bound, I the more fear,
as being yet only on the way
to suffering.
2 But your prayer to God shall
make me perfect, that I may attain
to that portion, which by God’s
mercy is allotted to me Fleeing
to the Gospel as to the flesh of
Christ; and to the Apostles as
to the presbytery of the church.
3 Let us also love the prophets,
forasmuch as they have led us
to the Gospel, and to hope in
Christ, and to expect him.
4 In whom also believing they
were saved in the unity of Jesus
Christ; being holy men, worthy
to be loved, and had in wonder;
5 Who have received testimony
from Jesus Christ, and are
numbered in the Gospel of our
common hope.
6 But if any one shall preach
the Jewish law unto you, hearken
not unto him; for it is better to
receive the doctrine of Christ from
one that has been circumcised, than
Judaism from one that has not.
7 But if either the one, or other,
do not speak concerning Christ
Jesus; they seem to me to be but
as monuments and sepulchres of
the dead, upon which are written
only the names of men.
8 Flee therefore the wicked arts
and snares of the prince of this
world; lest at any time being
oppressed by his cunning, ye grow
cold in your charity. But come
altogether into the same place,
with an undivided heart.
9 And I bless my God that I
have a good conscience towards
you, and that no one among you
has whereof to boast either openly
or privately, that I have been
burthensome to him in much or
little.
10 And I wish to all, among
whom I have conversed, that
may not turn to a witness again
them.
11 For although some would
have deceived me according to
the flesh, yet the spirit, being
from God, is not deceived: for it
knows, both whence it comes and
whither it goes, and reproves the
secrets of the heart.
12 I cried whilst I was among
you; I spake with a loud voice:
attend to the bishop, and to the
presbytery, and to the deacons.
13 Now some supposed that I spake
this as foreseeing the division
that should come among you.
14 But he is my witness for
whose sake I am in bonds that
I know nothing from any man.
But the spirit spake, saying
on this wise: Do nothing without
the bishop:
15 Keep your bodies as the
temples of God: Love unity;
Flee divisions; Be the followers
of Christ, as he was of his Father.
16 I therefore did as became
me, as a man composed to unity
for where there is division,
and wrath, God dwelleth not.
17 But the Lord forgives all
that repent, if they return to the
unity of God, and to the council
of the bishop.
18 For I trust in the grace
Jesus Christ that he will free
you from every bond.
19 Nevertheless I exhort you
that you do nothing out of strife
but according to the instruction
of Christ.
20 Because I have heard
some who say; unless I find
written in the originals, I will
not believe it to be written in
the Gospel. And when I said,
It is written; they answered
from what lay before them in the
corrupted copies.
21 But to me Jesus Christ
instead of all the uncorrupted
monuments in the world; together
with those undefiled monuments,
his cross, and death, and
resurrection, and the faith
which is by him; by which I
desire, through your prayers,
to be justified.
22 The priests indeed are
good; but much better is the High
Priest to whom the Holy of Holies
has been committed; and who
alone has been intrusted with the
secrets of God.
23 He is the door of the Father;
by which Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob, and all the prophets,
enter in; as well as the Apostles,
and the church.
24 And all these things tend to
the unity which is of God. Howbeit
the Gospel has somewhat in it far
above all other dispensations;
namely, the appearance of our
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,
his passion and resurrection.
25 For the beloved prophets
referred to him; but the Gospel
is the perfection of incorruption.
All therefore together are good,
if ye believe with charity.