Chapter II
2 Exhorts to Faith, Hope, and Charity.
5 Against covetousness, and as to the
duties of husbands, wives, widows,
9 deacons, young men, virgins, and presbyters.
THESE things, my brethren,
I took not the liberty of myself
to write unto you concerning
righteousness, but you yourselves
before encouraged me to it.
2 For neither can i, nor any
other such as I am, come up to
the wisdom of the blessed and
renowned Paul; who being himself
in person with those who then
lived, did with all exactness and
soundness teach the word of truth;
and being gone from you wrote an
epistle to you.
3 Into which if you look, you
will be able to edify yourselves in
the faith that has been delivered
unto you, which is the mother of
us all; being followed with hope,
and led on by a general love, both
towards God and towards Christ,
and towards our neighbour.
4 For if any man has these
things, he has fulfilled the law
of righteousness: for he that has
charity is far from all sin.
5 But the love of money is the
root of all evil. Knowing therefore
that as we brought nothing into this
world, so neither may we carry any
thing out; let us arm ourselves
with the armour of righteousness.
6 And teach ourselves first to
walk according to the commandments
of the Lord; and then your wives
to walk likewise according to the
faith that is given to them; in
charity, and in purity; loving
their own husbands, with all
sincerity, and all others alike,
with all temperance; and to bring up
their children in the instruction
and fear of the Lord.
7 The widows likewise teach
that they be sober as to what
concerns the faith of the Lord:
praying always for all men; being far
from all detraction, evil speaking,
false witness; from covetousness,
and from all evil.
8 Knowing that they are the
altars of God, who sees all blemishes,
and from whom nothing is hid; who
searches out the very reasonings,
and thoughts, and secrets of our
hearts.
9 Knowing therefore that God
is not mocked, we ought to walk
worthy both of his command and
of his glory.
10 Also the deacons must be
blameless before him, as the
ministers of God in Christ, and
not of men. Not false mousers, not
double tongued, not lovers of money;
but moderate in all things;
compassionate, careful; walking
according to the truth of the Lord,
who was the servant of all.
11 Whom if we please in this
present world, we shall also be
made partakers of that which is
to come, according as he has
promised to us, that he will raise
us from the dead; and that if we
shall walk worthy of him, we shall
also reign together with him, if
we believe.
12 In like manner the younger
men must be unblameable in all
things; above all, taking care of
their purity, and to restrain
themselves from all evil. For it is
good to be cut off from the lusts that
are in the world; because every
such lust warreth against the
spirit: and neither fornicators,
nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with mankind, shall
inherit the kingdom of God; nor
they who do such things as are
foolish and unreasonable.
13 Wherefore ye must needs
abstain from all these things,
being subject to the priests and
deacons, as unto God and Christ.
14 The virgins admonish to
walk in a spotless and pure
conscience.
15 And let the elders be
compassionate and merciful towards
all; turning them from their errors;
seeking out those that are weak;
not forgetting the widows, the
fatherless, and the poor; but
always providing what is good
both in the sight of God and man.
16 Abstaining from all wrath,
respect of persons, and unrighteous
judgment; and especially being
free from all covetousness.
17 Not easy to believe anything
against any; not severe in judgment;
knowing that we are all debtors
in point of sin.
18 If therefore we pray to the
Lord that he would forgive us, we
ought also to forgive others; for
we are all in the sight of our Lord
and God; a and must all stand before
the judgment-seat of Christ;
and shall every one give an
account of himself.
19 Let us therefore serve him in
fear, and with all reverence as
both himself hath commanded;
and as the Apostles who have
preached the Gospel unto us, and
the prophets who have foretold
the coming of our Lord have
taught us:
20 Being zealous of what is
good; abstaining from all offence,
and from false brethren; and
from those who bear the name of
Christ in hypocrisy; who deceive
vain men.