Rose Murdock's Notes on The Epistles

17: These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. 18: For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19: promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20: For 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. 21: For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22: It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” ***  Peter concluded his discussion about the false teacher...

1: This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2: that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. 3: Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4: and 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 creation.” 5: For 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 by water, 6: through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7: But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 8: But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with th...

10: But 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. 11: Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12: Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13: But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14: Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15: and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16: as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught a...

1: What 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-- 2: and 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-- 3: what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4: These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. ***  John, who also wrote the gospel of John, wrote this epistle about 90 A.D. He was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, and the younger son of the two sons of Zebedee (John 3:17). His brother, James, along with Peter, were the three closest to Jesus while He was here on earth (Matthew 17:1, Mark 5:37). John, being the closest of the three, was called, "The disciple whom Jesus loved," (John 13:23, 20:2, 21:7). When Jesus wa...

5: This 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. 6: If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7: but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8: If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10: If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. ***  John began the letter by saying that those who had seen the Lord had a message--a testimony--and they proclaimed it so everyone who believes can come into fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, like they have. The message is that God is Light and there is no darkness in Him at all. ...

1: My 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; 2: and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 3: By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4: The 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; 5: but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. ***  In the first chapter, John explained that fellowship with God means to walk in His Light. It means to admit where we fall short or out of alignment with Him. Admitting to that is what we call confessing our sins. It is acknowledging that God's way is right and true, and anything out of ali...

7: Beloved, 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. 8: On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 9: The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10: The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11: But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12: I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name's sake. 13: I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, be...