The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.

The first Epistle of Saint John the Apostle.

The first Chapter.

2 True witnesse of the euerlastyng worde of God. 7 The blood of Christe is the purgation of sinne. 10 No man is without sinne.

[unspec A] 1 THat whiche was frō the beginning, whiche we haue heard, which we haue seene with our eyes, whiche we haue loked vpō, & our handes haue handeled of, the worde of lyfe:

2 (And the lyfe appeared, and we haue seene, and beare witnesse, and shewe vnto you that eternall lyfe which was with the father, and appeared vnto vs.)

[unspec B] 3 That which we haue seene and heard declare we vnto you, that ye also maye haue (a) felowship with vs, and that our felowship may be with the father, and his sonne Iesus Christe.

4 And this write we vnto you, that your ioy may be full,

5 And this is the tydynges whiche we [unspec C] haue hearde of hym & declare vnto you, that God is lyght, & in hym is no darke∣nesse at all.

6 If we saye that we haue felowship with hym, and walke in darkenesse, we lye, and do not the trueth.

7 But and yf we walke in light, euen as he is in lyght, then haue we felowship (b) one with another, and the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne.

8 If we say that we haue no sinne, we [unspec D] deceaue our selues, and the trueth is not in vs.

9 If we knowledge our sinnes, he is faythfull & iust to forgeue vs our sinnes, and to clense vs from all vnryghteous∣nesse.

10 If we say we haue not sinned, we make hym a lyer, and his worde is not in vs.

¶The .ij. Chapter.

1 Christe is our aduocate. 10 Of true loue, and howe it is tryed. 18 To beware of antichriste.

[unspec A] 1 MY litle chyldren, these thynges write I vnto you, that ye sinne not. And yf any man sinne, we haue an aduocate with the father, Iesus Christe the ryghteous.

2 And he is y^e attonement for our sinnes: not for our sinnes only, but also for the sinnes of all the worlde.

3 ☞And hereby we are sure that we (a)knowe hym, yf we kepe his cōmaun∣dementes.

4 He that sayth I knowe hym, and ke∣peth not his commaundementes, is a lyer, and the veritie is not in hym:

5 But who so kepeth his worde, in him is the loue of God perfect in deede. Here∣by knowe we that we are in hym.

6 He that sayth he bydeth in him, ought to walke euen as he walked.☜

7 Brethren, I write no newe cōmaun∣dement [unspec B] vnto you, but that olde cōmaun∣dement which ye haue had from the be∣gynnyng. The olde commaundement is the worde which ye haue hearde frō the begynnyng.

8 Agayne, a newe commaundement I write vnto you, that is true in hym, and [the same is true] also in you: For the darkenesse is past, and the true lyght nowe shyneth.☜

9 He that sayth howe that he is in the lyght, and yet hateth his brother, is in darkenesse, euen vntyll this tyme.

10 He that loueth his brother, abydeth in the lyght, and there is none occasion of euyll in hym.

11 He that hateth his brother, is in dark∣nesse, and walketh in darkenesse, & can not tell whyther he goeth, because that darkenesse hath blynded his eyes.

12 Babes I write vnto you, because your

sinnes are forgeuen you for his names sake.

13 I write vnto you fathers, because ye haue knowen hym that is from the be¦gynnyng. I write vnto you young men, because you haue ouercome the wicked.

14 I write to you little chyldren, because ye haue knowē the father. I haue writ∣ten to you fathers, because ye haue kno∣wen hym that is from the begynnyng. I haue written vnto you young men, because, ye are stronge, and the worde of God abydeth in you, and ye haue ouercome the wicked.

[unspec C] 15 See that ye loue not the worlde, nei∣ther the thynges that are in the worlde. If any man loue the worlde, the loue of the father is not in hym.

16 For all that is in the worlde, as the lust of the fleshe, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but of the worlde.

17 And the worlde passeth away, and the luste thereof: but he that fulfylleth the wyll of God, abydeth for euer.

18 Litle chyldren, it is the last time, and as ye haue hearde howe that antichrist shall come, euen nowe are there many antichristes, whereby we knowe that it is the last tyme.

19 They went out from vs, but they were not of vs: For yf they had ben of vs, they woulde no doubt haue conti∣nued with vs: But that it myght ap∣peare that they were not of vs.

20 Neuerthelesse, ye haue an (b) oyntment of hym that is holy, and ye knowe all thynges.

21 I haue not written vnto you, as [unspec D] though ye knewe not the trueth: but because ye knowe it, and that no lye is of the trueth.

22 Who is a lyer, but he that denieth that Iesus is Christe? The same is antichrist that denyeth the father and the sonne.

23 Whosoeuer denyeth the sonne, the same hath not the father [But he that knowledgeth the sonne, hath the father also.]

24 Let therfore abyde in you, that same whiche ye hearde from the begynnyng. If that whiche ye hearde from the be∣gynnyng shall remayne in you, ye also shall continue in the sonne, and in the father.

25 And this is the promise that he hath promised vs, euen eternall lyfe.

26 These thynges haue I written vnto you, concerning them that deceaue you:

27 And the annoyntyng whiche ye haue receaued of hym dwelleth in you: And ye nede not that any man teach you, but as the same (c) annoynting teacheth you of all thynges, and it is true, and not ly∣ing: and as it taught you, ye shall a∣byde in it.

28 And nowe d babes abide in him, that when he shal appeare, we may be bolde and not be made ashamed of hym at his commyng.

29 If ye knowe that he is ryghteous, knowe also that euery one whiche doth righteousnes, is borne of hym.

¶ The .iij Chapter.

1 The singuler loue of God towarde vs, 7 and howe we agayne ought to loue one another.

[unspec A] 1 BEholde what loue the father hath shewed on vs, that we shoulde be called the sonnes of god: For this cause the worlde knoweth you not, because it know∣eth not hym.

2 Dearely beloued, nowe are we the sonnes of God, and yet it doth not ap∣peare what we shalbe: But we knowe that when he shall appeare, we shalbe lyke hym, for we shall see hym as he is.

3 And euery man that hath this hope in hym, purgeth hym selfe, euen as he also is pure.

4 Whosoeuer committeth sinne, trans∣gresseth also the lawe: for sinne is the transgression of the lawe.

5 And ye know that he appeared to take away our sinnes, & in hym is no sinne.

6 As many as byde in hym, sinne not: whosoeuer sinneth, hath not seene him, neither knowen hym.

7 Babes, let no man deceaue you: He [unspec B] that doeth righteousnes, is ryghteous, euen as he is righteous.

8 He that committeth sinne, is of the de∣uyll: for the deuyll sinneth sence the be∣ginning. For this purpose appeared the sonne of God, to loose the workes of the deuyll.

9 Whosoeuer is borne of God, sinneth not: for his seede remayneth in him, and he can not sinne, because he is borne of God.

10 In this are y^e children of God knowē, and the chyldren of the deuyll: Whoso∣euer doth not ryghteousnesse, is not of God, neither he that loueth not his bro∣ther.

[unspec C] 11 For this is the tidynges that ye heard from the begynnyng, that ye shoulde loue one another.

12 Not as Cain, which was of that wic∣ked, and slewe his brother: And wher∣fore slewe he hym? Because his owne workes were euyll, and his brothers good.

13 ☞Maruayle not my brethren though the worlde hate you.

14 We knowe, that we are translated from death vnto lyfe, because we (a) loue the brethren. * He that loueth not his brother, abideth in death.

15 Whosoeuer hateth his brother, is a manslear: And ye knowe that no man∣slear, hath eternall life abidyng in hym.

16 Hereby perceaue we loue, because he layde downe his lyfe for vs, & we ought to lay downe our lyues for the brethren.

17 But who so hath this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good, and seeth his brother haue neede, and shutteth vp his compassion from hym•• howe dwelleth the loue of God in hym?

18 My babes, let vs not loue in worde, neither in tongue: but in deede and in veritie.

19 Hereby we knowe that we are of the trueth, and shall assure our heartes be∣fore hym.

20 For yf our heart condempne vs, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all thynges.

21 Dearely beloued, yf our heart con∣dempne vs not, then haue we boldnesse towarde God.

22 And whatsoeuer we aske, we receaue of hym, because we kepe his commaun∣dementes, and do those thynges which are pleasyng in his syght.

23 And this is his cōmaundement, that we beleue on the name of his sonne Ie∣sus Christe, and loue one another, as he gaue commaundement.

24 And he that kepeth his commaunde∣mentes, dwelleth in him, and he in him: and hereby we knowe that he abideth in vs, euen by the spirite which he hath geuen vs.

¶The .iiij. Chapter.

1 Difference of spirites, 2 howe the spirite of God may be knowen from the spirite of errour, •• of the loue of God and of our neyghbours.

[unspec A] 1 DEarly beloued, beleue not euery spirite: but proue the spirites whe∣ther they are of God or not: for many false pro∣phetes are gone out in∣to the worlde.

2 Hereby shall ye knowe the spirite of God: Euery spirite that confesseth that Iesus (a) Christe is come in the fleshe, is of God:

3 And euery spirite which confesseth not that Iesus Christe is come in the fleshe, is not of God. And this is that spirite of antichriste, of whom ye haue hearde howe that he shoulde come: and euen nowe alredy is he in the worlde.

4 Litle chyldren, ye are of God, & haue ouercome them: for greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the worlde.

5 They are of the world, therfore speake they of the worlde, & the world heareth them.

6 We are of God. He that knoweth God, [unspec B] heareth vs: he that is not of God, hea∣reth vs not. Hereby knowe we the spi∣rite of veritie, and the spirite of errour.

7 Dearely beloued, let vs loue one ano∣ther, for loue commeth of God: And euery one that loueth, is borne of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loueth not, knoweth not God: for ☞ God is loue.

9 In this appeared the loue of God to vs warde, because God sent his only begotten sonne into the worlde, that we myght lyue through hym.

10 Herein is loue, not that we loued God, but that he loued vs, and sent his sonne to be the agreement for our sinnes.

11 Dearely beloued, yf God so loued vs, we ought also to loue one another.

12 No man hath seene God at any time. If we loue one another, God dwelleth

in vs, and his loue is perfect in vs.

13 Hereby knowe we that we dwell in hym, & he in vs: because he hath geuen vs of his spirite.

14 And we haue seene, and do testifie that the father sent the sonne to be the saui∣our of the worlde.

15 Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God, in him dwelleth God, and he in God.

[unspec D] 16 And we haue knowen and beleued the loue that God hath to vs. God is loue, and he that dwelleth in loue, dwel∣leth in God, and God in hym.

17 Herein is the loue perfect in vs, that we shoulde haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement: For as he is, euen so are we in this worlde.

18 There is no feare in loue, but perfect loue casteth out feare: for feare hath paynefulnesse. He that feareth, is not perfect in loue.

19 We loue hym, for he loued vs first.

20 If a man say, I loue God, & yet hate his brother, he is a lyer: For how can he y^t loueth not his brother whom he hath seene, loue God whō he hath not seene?

21 And this commaundement haue we of hym: that he which loueth God, shoulde loue his brother also.☜

The .v. Chapter.

1. Of the fruites of fayth. 14.20. The office, aucthoritie, & diuinitie of Christe, 21 agaynst images.

[unspec A] 1 WHosoeuer beleueth that Iesus is Christe, is borne of God: And eue∣rie one that loueth him which begat, loueth hym also which is be∣gotten H. L. of hym.

2 By this we knowe that we loue the chyldren of God, when we loue God, and kepe his commaundementes.

3 For this is the loue of God, that we kepe his commaundementes, and his commaundementes are not greeuous.

[unspec B] 4 ☞For all that is borne of God, ouer∣commeth the worlde. And this is the victorie that ouercommeth y^e worlde, [euen] our fayth.

5 Who is it that ouercommeth y^e worlde, but he which beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God?

6 This Iesus Christe, is he that came by water (a) and blood: not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the spirite that beareth witnesse, because the spirite is (b) trueth.

7 For there are three which beare recorde in heauen, the father, the worde, and the holy ghost, and these three are one.

8 And there are three which beare re∣corde in earth, the spirite, and water, and blood, and these three agree in one.

9 If we receaue the witnesse of men, the witnesse of God is greater: For this is the witnesse of God [that is greater] which he testified of his sonne.

[unspec C] 10 He that beleueth on the sonne of God, hath the witnesse in hym selfe: ☞ He that beleueth not God, hath made hym a lyer, because he beleued not the recorde that God gaue of his sonne.

11 And this is the recorde, how that God hath geuen vnto vs eternall lyfe, and this lyfe, is in his sonne.

12 He that hath the sonne, hath lyfe: and he that hath not the sonne of God, hath not lyfe.

13 These thynges haue I written vnto you that beleue on y^e name of the sonne of God, that ye may knowe howe that ye haue eternall lyfe, and that ye may beleue on the name of the sonne of God.

14 And this is the trust that we haue in hym: that yf we aske any thyng accor∣dyng to his wyll, he heareth vs.

15 And yf we knowe that he heare vs, whatsoeuer we aske: we know that we haue y^e petitions that we desire of hym.

16 If any man see his brother sinne a [unspec D] sinne not vnto death, let hym aske, and he shal geue him life for them that sinne not vnto death. There is a sinne vnto death: I say not that thou shouldest pray for it.

17 All vnrighteousnes is sinne: and there is sinne vnto death.

18 We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God, sinneth not: but he that is begot∣ten of God, kepeth hym selfe, and that wicked toucheth hym not.

19 We knowe that we are of God, & the whole worlde ^(c) lieth in wickednesse.

20 We knowe that the sonne of God is come, & hath geuen vs a minde to know hym which is true: and we are in hym that is true, through his sonne Iesus Christe. This same is very God, and eternall lyfe.

21 Babes kepe your selues from idols. Amen.

Notes

• Mat. xvii. a.
• (a)

  The ef∣fect of y^e Gos∣pell is, that we all beyng ioyned toge∣ther in Christ by faith, shuld be the sonnes of God.
• (b)

  That is, Christe with vs, and we with our sel∣ues.
• 3. Reg. viii e. ii. Par. vi. g.
• Ioh. xiii. c. Psal 32. d. Luk. xv. d.
• (a)

  That is, by fayth, and so obey hym: for knowlege can not be without obe∣dience.
• Iohn. xiii. d.
• Leuit. xix. d
• Ioh. xvii. b.
• Actes. xx. f.
• (b)

  the grace of the holy ghost.
• Esa•• ••iiii. d.
• (c)

  Christ cō∣municateth hym selfe vn∣to you, & tea∣cheth you by the holy ghost and his mini∣sters.
• d

  By this name▪ ••e me••¦neth y^e whol•• Churche of Christe in ge¦nerall▪
• ••uk. xx. ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••. b
• Ge••e 〈…〉〈…〉 Iohn. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• (a)

  This loue is the speciall fruite of our fayth, and a certayne signe of our rege∣neration.
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• Math. v•• ••. Iohn. xv. b. Iacob. i. a.
• i Iohn. v. c. Ioh. xiii. d.
• Math. vii. c.•• Deut. xi••i. a. Ma. xxiiii. a. Mar. xiii. a. Luk. xxi. d.
• (a)

  Who be∣yng very god, came from his father & toke vpon hym our fleshe. He that confesseth o•• preacheth this truely▪ hath the spirite of God, els not.
• Iohn. xiii. d i Thess. i. b.
• Iohn. iii. c. Rom. v. b.
• Exod •• d. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 v. ••
• Iohn. xiii. c.
• Math. xii. d.
• i Cor. xv. g.
• (a)

  The water & blood that came out of his syde, declare that we haue our sinnes washed by hym▪ and he hath made ful satisfaction for the same.
• (b)

  Whiche testifieth to our heartes, that we be the childrē of god.
• Mat. vii. a. Mark. xi. d. Luk. xi. b. Iohn. xiiii. ••