The Newe Testament dylygently corrected and compared with the Greke by Willyam Tindale, and fynesshed in the yere of our Lorde God A.M.D. & xxxiiij. in the moneth of Nouember.

¶ A Prologe vpon the thre epistles of S. Iohn.

THis fyrst epistle of saynt Iohn contayneth the doetryne of a verye apostle of Christ and ought of ryght to folowe his Gospell. For as in his epistle he setteth oute the true fayth / and teacheth by it onlye all mē to be saued and restored vnto the fauoure of God agayne: euē so here in this pistle he goeth agaynst them that boste them selues of fayth & yet contynew withoute good workes and te∣acheth manye wayes that where true fayth is / there the workes tarye not behinde / and con∣trarye that where the workes folowe not / there is no true fayth but a false ymagynacion and vtter darcknes.

And he wryteth sore agaynst a certen secte of heretyekes which then begāne to denye that Christ was come in the flesshe / and calleth thē vetye Antechristes. Which secte goeth now in hir full swynge. For though they denye not openlye with the mouth that Christ is come in the flesshe: yet they denye it in y^• hartewith their doctryne and lyuynge. For he that wyllbe iustified and saued thorow his awne workes / the same doth as moche as he y^• denyeth Christ to become in the flesshe seinge that Christ ca∣me onlye therfore in the flesshe / that he shuld iustifie vs / or purchase vs pardon of oure syn∣nes / bringe vs into the fauoure of God agavne and make vs heyres of eternall lyfe / with his workes onlye & with his bloudeshedinge / with¦oute and before all oure workes.

So fyghteth this pistle both agaynst them that wilbe saued by their awne good workes / a also agaynst them that wilbe saued by a fayth

that hath no lust to do workes at all & kepeth vs in the myddie waye / that we beleue in Christ to be saued by his workes onlye / & then to kno∣we that it is oure dutie for that kindnes / to pre¦pare oure selues to do the cōmaundmēt of god / & to loue euery man his neyboure as Christ lo∣ued him / sekinge with oure awne workes Go∣des honoure and oure neybours welthe onlye / and trustinge for eternall lyfe and for all that God hath promysed vs for Chrisles sake.

The two last pistles though they be shorte / yet are goodlye ensamples of loue and fayth & do sauoure of the spirite of a true Apostle.

¶ The fyrst epistle of S. Iohn the Apostle.

¶ The fyrst Chapter.* 1.1

[illustration]

THat which was frō the begynninge / concerninge which [ A] we have hearde / which we have sene with oure eyes / which we have loked vpon / & oure hondes have hādled / of the worde of life. For the lyfe appered / & we have se∣ne / & beare witnes / & shewe vnto you that eternall lyfe / which was with the father / and appered vnto vs. That which we have sene and herde declare we vnto you / that ye maye have felloushippe with vs / and that oure fellishippe maye be with the father and his sonne Iesus Christ. And this write

we vnto you / that oure ioye maye be full.

And this is the tydynges which we have [ B] * 1.2 hearde of him / and declare vnto you / that god is lyght / and in him is no darknes at all / yf* 1.3 we saye that we have fellishippe with him / & yet walke in darknes / welye / and do not the truth: but and yf we walke in (lyght) even as he is in lyght / then have we fellishippe with him / and the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all synne.

Yf we saye that we have no synne / we dece¦ave oure selves / and trueth is not in vs. Yf we * 1.4 knowledge oure synnes / he is faythfull and iust / to forgeve vs oure synnes / and to clense vs from all vnrightewesnes. Yf we saye we have not sinned / we make him alyar / & his worde is not in vs.

¶ The .ii. Chap. ✚

MYlytell children / these thynges wri∣te I vnto you / that ye synne not: yf e∣ny [ A] * 1.5 man synne / yet we have an advoca¦te with y^• father / Iesus Christ / which is righ¦teous: & he it is that obteyneth grace for oure synnes: not for oure synnes only: but also for the synnes of all the worlde. And herby we are sure that we knowe him / yf we kepe his *cō∣maundementes. He that sayth I knowe him / and kepeth not his commaundementes is a lyar / & the veritie is not in him. Whosoever kepeth his (worde) in him is the love of god parfect in dede. And therby knowe we that we are in him. He that sayth he bydeth in him [ B] * 1.6 ought to walke even as he walked. ⊢

Brethren I write no newe cōmaundement

vnto you: but that olde cōmaundemēt which ye hearde from the begynnynge. The olde cō∣maundement is the worde which ye hearde from the begynnynge. Agayne a newe cōma∣undement I write vnto you / a thynge that is true in him / and also in you: for the darknes is past / and the true lyght now shyneth. He that sayth how that he is in the light / and yet ha∣teth his brother / is in darknes even vntyll this tyme. He that loveth his brother / aby∣deth in the light and ther is none occasion of evyll in him. He that * 1.7 hateth his brother is in darknes / and walketh in darknes: and cannot tell whither he goeth / because that darknes hath blynded his eyes.

Babes I write vnto you how that youre [ C] synnes are forgeven you for his names sake. I wryte vnto you fathers / how that ye have knowen him that was from the begynnynge. I wryte vnto you yonge men / how that ye ha¦ve overcome the wicked. I wryte vnto you ly∣tell children / how that ye have knowne the fa¦ther. I wryte vnto you fathers / how that y e have knowē him that was frō the begynnyn¦ge. I wryte vnto you yoūge men / how that ye are stronge: and the worde of God abydeth in you and ye have over come that wicked.

Se that ye love not the worlde / nether the* 1.8 thynges that are in the worlde. Yf eny man love the worlde / the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in y^• worlde (as the lust of the flesshe / the lust of the eyes / & y^e pryde of gooddes) is not of the father: but of y^e worlde

And the worlde vannyssheth awaye / and the lust therof: but he that fulfilleth the will of god / abydeth ever.

Lytell children it is the last tyme / and as ye have herde how that Antichrist shall come: even now are there many Antichristes come* 1.9 allredy. Wherby we knowe that it is the last tyme. They went oute from vs but they were not of vs. For yf they had bene of vs / they wolde no dout / have continued with vs. But that fortuned that yt myght appere / that they were not of vs.

And ye have an * 1.10 oyntment of y^e holy gost / [ D] and ye knowe all thynges. ✚ I wrote not vn to you / as though ye knewe not the trueth: but as though ye knewe it and knowe also that no lye commeth of trueth. Who is a lyar: but he that denyeth that Iesus is Christ? The sa∣me is the Antichrist that denyeth the father and the sonne. Whosoever denyeth the sonne the same hath not the father. Let therfore aby¦de in you that same which ye hearde from the begynnynge. Yf that which ye hearde from y^e begynnynge / shall remayne in you / ye also shall continewe in the sonne / and in the father And this is the promes y^• he hath promysed vs / even eternall lyfe.

This have I writtē vnto you / concernynge thē y^• disceave you. And y^e anoyntynge which ye have receaved of him / dwelleth in you. And ye nede not that eny man teache you: but as y^e annoyntynge teaheth you all thynges / and is true / and is no lye: and as it taught you / even

so byde therin. And nowe babes abyde in him* 1.11 that when he shall appere / we maye be bolde and not be made a shamed of him at his com∣mynge. Yf ye knowe that he is righteous / kno¦we also that he which foloweth rightewes∣nes / is borne of him.

¶ The .iii. Chapter.

BEholde what love the father hath she∣wed on vs / that we shuld be called the sonnes of god. For this cause the worl¦de knoweth you not because it knoweth not him. Derely beloved / now are we y^e sonnes of God / & yet it dothe not appere what we shal¦be. But we knowe that when it shall appere / we shalbe lyke him. For we shall se him as he is. And every man that hath thys hope in him pourgeth him silfe / even as he ys pure. Whosover committeth synne / committeth vnrighteousnes also / for synne is * 1.12 vnrigh∣teousnes. And ye knowe that he appered to take awaye oure synnes / and in him is no synne. As many as byde in him synne not: whosoever synneth hath not sene him / nether hath knowen him.

Babes let no man deceave you / He that [ B] doeth righteousnes / is righteous / even as he is righteous. He that cōmitteth synne / is of the devill: for the devyll synneth sence the be¦gynnynge.* 1.13 For this purpose appered the son¦ne of god / to lowse the workes of the devill. Whosoever is borne of god / sinneth not: for his seed remayneth in him and he cannot sin¦ne / because* 1.14 he is borne of god. In this are the children of god knowen / and the children of

the devyll. Whosoever doeth not rightewes∣nes / is not of God / nether he that loveth not his brother.* 1.15

For this is the tydinges / that ye hearde frō the begynninge / that we shuld love one ano∣ther: not as Cayn which was of the wicked and slewe his brother. And wherfore slewe he him? Because his awne workes were evyst / & his brothers good. ✚ Marvayle not my bre∣thren though the worlde hate you. We kno∣we that we are translated from * 1.16 deeth vnto lyfe / be cause we love the brethren. He that lo¦veth not his brother / abydeth in deeth. Who∣soever hateth his brother / is a man slear. And ye knowe that no man slear / hath eternall lyfe abydinge in him.

Herby perceave we love: that he gave his [ D] lyfe for vs: and therfore ought we also to geve oure lyves for the brethrē. Whosoever hath this worldes good & seith his hrother have neade: & shutteth vp his cōpassion from him: how dwelleth the love of God in him? My ba¦bes / let vs not love in worde / nether in tonge: but with dede and in veritie: ✚ for * 1.17 therby we knowe that we are of the veritie / and can before him quiet oure hertes. But yf oure hertes condempne vs / God is gretter then oure hertes / and knoweth all thinges. Belo∣ved / yf oure hertes condempne vs not / then have we trust to god warde: and what soever we axe / we shall receave of him: because we* 1.18 kepe his commaundementes / and do those thinges which are pleasinge in his sight.

And this is his cōmaundemēt / that we be∣leve * 1.19 on y^e name of his sonne Iesus Christ / & love one another / as he gave cōmaundemēt. And he y^t kepeth his cōmaundemētes dwel∣leth in him / and he in him: & therby we knowe that ther abydeth in vs of the sprete which he gave vs.

¶ The .iiii. Chapter

YE beloved / beleve not every sprete: but [ A] prove the spretes whether they are of God or no: for many falce Prophetes are gone out into the worlde. Herby shall ye knowe the sprete of God. Every sprete that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesshe is of God. And every sprete which cō∣fesseth not y^t Iesus Christ is come in the fles¦she / is not of God. And this is that sprete of Antichrist / of whom ye have hearde / howe that he shuld come: and even now alredy is he in the worlde.

Lytell chyldrē / ye are of God / & have over∣come them: for greater is he y^t is in you / then he that is in the worlde. They are of the worl¦de / & therfore speake they of the worlde / & the [ B] worlde heareth them. We are of God. He y^t knoweth God / heareth vs: he that is not of God / heareth vs not. Herby knowe we y^e spre¦te of veritie / & the sprete of erroure.

Beloved / let vs love one another: for love cōmeth of God. And every one that loveth / is borne of God / and knoweth God. He that lo∣veth not / knoweth not God: ✚ for God is lo∣ve. In this appered y^e love of god to vs ward

because that god sent his only begotten sonne into the worlde / that we myght live thorow him. Herin is love / not that we loved god / but* 1.20 that he loved vs / and sent his sonne to make agrement for oure sinnes.

Beloved / yf god so loved vs / we ought also to love one another. No man hath sene god at* 1.21 enytyme. Yf we love one another / god dwel∣leth in vs / and his love is parfect in vs. Her∣by know we / that we dwell in him / and he in vs: because he hath geven vs of his sprete. And we have sene and do testifie that the fa∣ther sent the sonne / which is the saveour of the worlde. Whosoever confesseth that Ie∣sus is the sonne of god / in him dwelleth god / and he in god. And we have knowen and bele¦ved the love that god hath to vs.

God is love / and he that dwelleth in love [ D] dwelleth in god / and god in him. Herin is the love perfect in vs / that we shuld have trust in the daye of iudgement: For as he is / even so are we in this worlde. Ther is no feare in love / but parfect love casteth out all feare / for feare hath paynfulnes. He y^t feareth / is not parfect in love.

We love him / for he loved vs fyrst. Yf a man saye / I love god / and yet hate his brother* 1.22 he is a lyar. For how can he y^t loveth not his brother whom he hath sene / love god whom he hath not sene? And this commaundemēt have we of him: that he which loveth God / shuld love his brother also. ⊢

¶ The .v. Chapter.

VVhosoever beleveth that Iesus is* 1.23 Christ / is borne of god. And every o∣ne [ A] y^t loveth him which begat / loveth him also which was begottē of him. In this we knowe y^t we love the children of god / whē we love god / & kepe his cōmaūdemente. This is y^e love of god / y^t we kepe his cōmaundemē¦tes / & his cōmaundementes are not greveous* 1.24 ✚ For all that is borne of god / over commeth the worlde. And this is the victory that over cōmeth the worlde / even oure * 1.25 fayth. Who is it that overcommeth the worlde: but he which beleveth that Iesus is y^e sonne of god?

This Iesus Christ is he that cā by water and bloud / not by water only: but by water & [ B] bloud. And it is the sprete that beareth wit∣nes / because the sprete ys trueth. (For ther are thre which beare recorde in heuen / the father / the worde / and the wholy goost. And these* 1.26 thre are one) For there are thre which beare re¦corde (in erth:) the sprete / & water / and bloud: and these thre are one. Yf we receave the wit∣nes of men / the witnes of god is greater. For this is the witnes of god / which he testifyed of his sonne. He that beleveth on the sonne of god / hath the witnes in him silfe. ✚ He that beleveth not God / hath made him a lyar / be¦cause he beleved not the recorde that god ga∣ve of his sonne. And this ys that recorde / how that god hath geven vnto vs eternall lyfe••* 1.27 and this lyfe is in his sonne. He that hath the sonne / hath lyfe: and he that hath not the sonne of god / hath not lyfe.

These thynges have I written vnto you that beleve on the name of the sonne of God / that ye maye knowe howe that ye have eternall ly∣fe / and that ye maye beleve on the name of the sonne of god. And this is the trust that we have in him: that yf we axe eny thinge accor¦dynge to his will he heareth vs. And yf we knowe that he heare vs what soever we axe / we knowe that we shall have the peticions that we desyre of him.

Yf eny man se his brother synne a synne [ D] that is not vnto deeth / let him axe / and he shall geve him lyfe for them that synne not* 1.28 vnto deeth. Ther is a synne vnto deeth / for which saye I not that a man shuld praye. All vnrightewesnes is synne / and ther is syn¦ne not vnto deeth.

We knowe that whosoever is borne of god / * 1.29 synneth not: but he that is begotten of god ke¦peth him silfe / and that wicked toucheth him not. We knowe that we are of god / and that the worlde is altogedder set on wickednes. We knowe that the sonne of God is come / & hath geven vs a mynde to knowe him which is true: and we are in him that is true / through his sonne Iesu Christ. This same is very god / and eternall lyfe. Babes ke∣pe youre selves from ymages.

Amen.

¶ The seconde pistle of S. Iohn.

[illustration]

THe elder to the electe la∣dy and her chyldren which I love in the trueth: and not [ A] I only / but also all that ha∣ve knowē the trueth / for the truthes sake / which dwel∣leth in vs / and shalbe in vs for ever.

With you be grace / mercy / and peace from God y^e father / & from the Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of the father / in trueth and love.

I reioysed greatly / that I founde of thy chyldrē walkinge in trouth / as we have recea∣ved a commaundement of the father. And no∣we [ B] beseche I the lady / not as though I wro∣te a newe commaundement vnto the / but that same which we had frō the begynninge / that we shuld * 1.30 love one another. And this is the love / that we shulde walke after his com∣maundementes.

This commaundement is (that as ye ha∣ve hearde from the begynninge) ye shuld wal¦ke in it. For many deceavers are entred in to the worlde / which confesse not that Iesus [ C] Christ is come in the flesshe. This is a decea¦ver and an Antichrist. Loke on youre selves / that we loose not that we have wrought: but that we maye have a full rewarde. Whosoe∣ver transgresseth and bydeth not in the doctri¦ne of Christ / hath not God. He y^t endureth in

the doctrine of Christ / hath bothe the father and the sonne.

Yf ther come eny vnto you & bringe not this learninge / him receave not to housse: ne∣ther bid him God spede. For he that biddeth him God spede / is parttaker of his evyll de∣des. I had many thinges to wryte vnto you / neverthelesse I wolde not wryte with paper and ynke: but I trust to come vnto you / & spea¦ke with you mouth to mouth / that oure ioye maye be full. The sonnes of thy electe syster grete the.

Amen.

¶ The .iij. pistle of S. Iohn.

[illustration]

THe Elder vnto the belo∣ven [ A] Gayus / whom I love in y^e trueth. Beloved / I wisshe in all thinges that thou pro∣speredest and faredest well evē as thy soule prospereth. I reioysed greatly when the brethren came / and testified of the trueth that is in the / how thou walkest in trouthe. I have no greater ioye then for to heare howe that my sonnes walke in veritie.

Beloved / thou doest faythfully what soe∣ver [ B] thou doest to the brethren / and to straun∣gers / which bare witnes of thy love before all the congregacion. Which brethren whē thou bryngest forwardes on their iorney (as it bese¦meth god) thou shalt do well: because that for his names sake they went forth / and toke nothinge of the gentyls. We therfore ought

to receave soche / that we also myght be hel∣pers to the trueth.

I wrote vnto the congregaciō: but Diotre∣phes which loveth to have the ••reeminence amōge them / receaveth vs not. Wherfore yf I come / I will declare his dedes which he doeth / iestinge on vs with malicious wordes / nether is therewith content. Not only he him silfe receaveth not the brethrē: but also he for biddeth them that wolde / and thrusteth them out of the congregacion.

Beloved / folowe not that which is evyll / but that which is good. ••e that doeth well is of God: but he y^• doeth evyll seith not God. Demetrius hath good reporte of all men / and of the trueth: ye and we oure selves also beare recorde / & ye knowe that oure recorde is true. [ D] I have many thinges to wryte: but I will not with ynke and penne wryte vnto the. For I trust I shall shortly se the / and we shall spea∣ke mouth to mouth. Peace be with the. The lovers salute the. Grete the lovers by name.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iohn he∣re as in his gos∣pell / & as Paule & Peter in their pist∣les / teach¦eth fyrst the iustifi¦enge of fa¦yth & that all mercie commeth by christ onlye wi∣thout all other res∣pecte and then what
• * 1.2

  iohn. viij
• * 1.3

  (Lyght) is the doc¦tryne of Christ. h••s. ix. d j. pet. j. d.
• * 1.4

  If we cō¦fesse oure synnes god whi∣ch cannot lye / hath promised to forge∣ue them.
• * 1.5

  He that ke¦peth the cōmaun∣demētes knoweth god: & he that kepe¦th it not / knoweth not God.
• * 1.6

  He that ke¦peth god∣es worde loueth god & is in God & walketh as Christ dyd.
• * 1.7

  He that hateth is in darck∣nes & kno¦weth not what Ch¦rist hath done for him: but he that lo¦ueth is in light & wo¦teth wh∣at Christ hath done
• * 1.8

  He that loueth the worlde / loueth not god.
• * 1.9

  Antich∣rist.
• * 1.10

  Oynt∣mēt: that is know∣ledge of the trou∣the & all the giftes of the spi¦rite.
• * 1.11

  Here ye se that ch¦rist & syn∣ne cannot dwell to¦gether for Chri∣stes spiri∣te fyghte∣th agayn¦st synne.
• * 1.12

  He that worketh ryghteou¦snes / is borne of god & tau¦ght of his spirite.
• * 1.13

  ioh. viij. f
• * 1.14

  Seed / th∣at is the holi goost
• * 1.15

  Loue is the fyrst precept & cause of all other.
• * 1.16

  He that loueth is escaped de¦athe. He that loue∣th not is in deathe & a mur∣therar & hath not eternall li¦fe. He that hath no cōpassion loueth not God
• * 1.17

  By loue we knowe that we a¦re in the truthe & haue quy∣et consciē¦ces to god warde.
• * 1.18

  He that kepeth hī¦selfe from synne / is ••••rōge in the fayth and obta∣yneth all that he prayeth for.
• * 1.19

  Fayth is the fyr∣st cōmaū¦dement: & loue the seconde & he that hath thē is in god & hath his spiri∣te. They th∣at saye workes iustifie from syn∣ne / are th∣ey that de¦nye christ to be co∣me in the flesshe.
• * 1.20

  God hath shewed vs a tokē of loue.
• * 1.21

  Loue is cōmmaū∣ded. iohn. j. b. ••. tim. vj.
• * 1.22

  He that loueth not his br¦other / lo∣ueth not God.
• * 1.23

  io. xii••. d. and .xv. b ephe. v. a
• * 1.24

  j. co. xv. c
• * 1.25

  Fayth is oure victorie.
• * 1.26

  iohn. iij. d
• * 1.27

  In christ is the ly∣fe eternall
• * 1.28

  Synne vnto de∣eth.
• * 1.29

  He that is borne of God / synneth not.
• * 1.30

  Loue is the fyrst cōmaun∣dement.