Genesis Introduction

King James Bible,

1611

Bibliographic details

Bibliographic details for the Source Text

THE HOLY BIBLE,

Conteyning the Old Testament, AND THE NEW: Newly Translated out of the Originall tongues: & with the former Translations diligently compared and reuised by his Maiesties speciall Comandement Appointed to be read in Churches

London

Imprinted … by Robert Barker [etc.] 1611

[1495] p.;

357 

225 mm.

Source copy courtesy of the London Library, the 'He' version. Images courtesy of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

1 He describeth the person of Christ, in whome we haue eternal life, by a comunion with God:

5 to which we must adioine holinesse of life, to testifie the trueth of that our communion and profession of faith, as also to assure vs of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by Christs death.

1 That which was from ye beginning, which wee haue heard, which wee haue seene with our eyes, which wee haue looked vpon, and our hands haue handled of the word of life.

2 (For the life was manifested, and we haue seene it, and beare witnes, and shew vnto you that eternall life which was with the Father, and was manifested vnto vs.)

3 That which wee haue seene and heard, declare we vnto you, that ye also may haue felowship with vs; and truely our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Sonne Iesus Christ.

4 And these things write we vnto you, that your ioy may be full.

5 This then is the message which we haue heard of him, and declare vnto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkenesse at all.

6 If we say that we haue felowship with him, and walke in darkenesse, we lie, and doe not the trueth.

7 But if wee walke in the light, as he is in the light, wee haue fellowship 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 deceiue our selues, and the trueth is not in vs.

9 If we confesse our sinnes, hee is faithfull, & iust to forgiue vs our sinnes,

[Our Aduocate.]

and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse.

10 If we say that we haue not sinned, wee make him a liar, and his word is not in vs.

commendeth Gaius for his pietie

5 and hospitalitie

7 to true preachers:

9 Complaining of the vnkind dealing of ambitious Diotrephes on the contrary side:

11 Whose euill example is not to bee followed:

12 And giueth speciall testimonie to the good report of Demetrius.

1 The Elder vnto the welbeloued Gaius, whom I loue [Note: Or, truely.] in the trueth:

2 Beloued, I [Note: Or, pray.] wish aboue all things that thou

[Walking in trueth and loue.]

mayest prosper and be in health, euen as thy soule prospereth.

3 For I reioyced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, euen as thou walkest in the trueth.

4 I haue no greater ioy, then to heare that my children walke in truth.

5 Beloued, thou doest faithfully whatsoeuer thou doest to the Brethren, and to strangers:

6 Which haue borne witnesse of thy charitie before the Church: whome if

[Called in Christ.]

thou bring forward on their iourney after a godly sort, thou shalt doe well:

7 Because that for his Names sake they went foorth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

8 We therefore ought to receiue such, that we might be fellow helpers to the trueth.

9 I wrote vnto the Church, but Diotrephes, who loueth to haue the preeminence among them, receiueth vs not.

10 Wherefore if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against vs with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth hee himselfe receiue the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the Church.

11 Beloued, follow not that which is euill, but that which is good. He that doth good, is of God: but hee that doth euill, hath not seene God.

12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the trueth it selfe: yea, and we also beare record, and ye know that our record is true.

13 I had many things to write, but I will not with inke and pen write vnto thee.

14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and wee shall speake [Note: Greek: mouth to mouth.] face to face. Peace bee to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

4 Iohn writeth his reuelation to the seuen Churches of Asia, signified by the seuen golden Candlestickes.

7 The comming of Christ.

14 His glorious power and maiestie.

1 The Reuelation of Iesus Christ, which God gaue vnto him, to shewe vnto his seruants things which must shortly come to passe; and he sent and signified it by his Angel vnto his seruant Iohn,

2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimonie of Iesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

3 Blessed is hee that readeth, and they that heare the words of this prophesie, and keepe those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

4 Iohn to the seuen Churches in Asia, Grace be vnto you, & peace, from him [Note: Exodus 3:14.] which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne:

5 And from Iesus Christ, who is the faithful witnesse, and the [Note: 1 Corinthians 15:21; Colossians 1:18.] first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth: vnto him that loued vs, [Note: Hebrews 9:14.] and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne blood,

6 And hath [Note: 1 Peter 2:5.] made vs Kings and Priests vnto God and his Father: to him be glory and dominion for euer and euer, Amen.

7 [Note: Matthew 24:30.] Behold he commeth with clouds, and euery eye shal see him, and they also which pearced him: and all kinreds of the earth shall waile because of him: euen so. Amen.

[First and last.]

8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

9 I Iohn, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdome and patience of Iesus Christ, was in the Isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimonie of Iesus Christ.

10 I was in the spirit on the Lords day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and what thou seest, write in a booke, and send it vnto the seuen Churches which are in Asia, vnto Ephesus, and vnto Smyrna, and vnto Pergamos, and vnto Thyatira, and vnto Sardis, and Philadelphia, and vnto Laodicea.

12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with mee. And being turned, I saw seuen golden Candlesticks,

13 And in the midst of the seuen candlestickes, one like vnto the Sonne of man, clothed with a garment downe to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

14 His head, and his haires were white like wooll as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire,

15 And his feet like vnto fine brasse, as if they burned in a furnace: and his voice as the sound of many waters.

16 And hee had in his right hand seuen starres: and out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword: and his countenance was as the Sunne shineth in his strength.

17 And when I sawe him, I fell at his feete as dead: and hee laid his right hand vpon me, saying vnto mee, Feare not, [Note: Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 44:6.] I am the first, and the last.

18 I am hee that liueth, and was dead: and behold, I am aliue for euermore,

[Seuen candlesticks.]

Amen, and haue the keyes of hell and of death.

19 Write the things which thou hast seene, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter,

20 The mysterie of the seuen starres which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seuen golden Candlestickes. The seuen Starres are the Angels of the seuen Churches: and the seuen candlestickes which thou sawest, are the seuen Churches.

exhorteth a certaine honourable matrone, with her children, to perseuere in Christian loue, and beliefe,

8 lest they lose the reward of their former profession:

10 And to haue nothing to doe with those seducers that bring not the true doctrine of Christ Iesus.

1 The Elder vnto the elect Lady, and her children, whome I loue in the trueth: and not I onely, but also all they that haue knowen ye trueth:

2 For the trueths sake which dwelleth in vs, and shalbe with vs for euer:

3 Grace bee with you, mercie, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ, the Sonne of the Father in trueth and loue.

4 I reioyced greatly, that I found of thy children walking in trueth, as wee haue receiued a commaundement from the Father.

5 And now, I beseech thee Lady, not as though I wrote a new commandement vnto thee: but that which wee had from the beginning, that wee loue one another.

6 And this is loue, that wee walke after his Commandements. This is the Commandement, that as yee haue heard from the beginning, yee should walke in it.

7 For many deceiuers are entred into the world, who confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiuer, and an Antichrist.

8 Looke to your selues, that wee lose not those things which wee haue [Note: Or, gained. Some copies reade, which yee haue gained, but that ye receiue, etc.] wrought, but that we receiue a full reward.

9 Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God: hee that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Sonne.

10 If there come any vnto you, and bring not this doctrine, receiue him not into your house, neither bid him, God speed.

11 For hee that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his euill deeds.

12 Hauing many things to write vnto you, I would not write with paper and inke, but I trust to come vnto you, and speake [Note: Greek: mouth to mouth.] face to face, that our ioy may be full.

13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

exhorteth them to bee constant in the profession of the faith.

14 False teachers are crept in to seduce them: for whose damnable doctrine and manners horrible punishment is prepared:

20 Whereas the godly, by the assistance of the holy Spirit, and prayers to God, may perseuere, and grow in grace, and keepe themselues, and recouer others out of the snares of those deceiuers.

1 Iude the seruant of Iesus Christ, and brother of Iames, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserued in Iesus Christ, & called:

2 Mercie vnto you, and peace, and loue be multiplied.

3 Beloued, when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation: it was needfull for mee to write vnto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once deliuered vnto the Saints.

4 For there are certaine men crept in

[Euill Angels.]

vnawares, who were before of olde ordained to this condemnation, vngodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciuiousnesse, and denying the onely Lord God, & our Lord Iesus Christ.

5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord hauing saued the people out of the land of Egypt afterward destroied them that beleeued not.

6 And the Angels which kept not their [Note: Or, principalitie.] first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse, vnto the iudgement of the great day.

7 Euen as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like maner giuing themselues ouer to fornication, and going after [Note: Greek: other.] strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffring the vengeance of eternall fire.

8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speake euill of dignities.

9 Yet Michael the Archangel, when contending with the deuill, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, [Note: Zechariah 3:2.] The Lord rebuke thee.

[Balaams reward.]

10 But these speake euill of those things, which they know not: but what they knowe naturally, as brute beastes, in those things they corrupt themselues.

11 Wo vnto them, for they haue gone in the way of Kain, and ranne greedily after the errour of Balaam, for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

12 These are spottes in your feasts of charitie, when they feast with you, feeding themselues without feare: cloudes they are without water, caried about of winds, trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twise dead, plucked vp by the rootes.

13 Raging waues of the sea, foming out their owne shame, wandring stars, to whom is reserued the blacknesse of darkenesse for euer.

14 And Enoch also, the seuenth from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord commeth with ten thousands of his Saints,

15 To execute iudgement vpon all, and to conuince all that are vngodly among them, of all their vngodly deeds which they haue vngodly committed, and of all their heard speaches, which vngodly sinners haue spoken against him.

[The last time.]

16 These are murmurers complainers, walking after their owne lustes, and their mouth speaketh great swelling wordes, hauing mens persons in admiration because of aduantage.

17 But beloued, remember yee the words, which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ:

18 How that they tolde you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walke after their own vngodly lustes.

19 These be they who separate themselues, sensual, hauing not the spirit.

20 But yee beloued, building vp your selues on your most holy faith, praying in the holy Ghost,

21 Keepe your selues in the loue of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life.

22 And of some haue compassion, making a difference:

23 And others saue with feare, pulling them out of the fire: hating euen the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now vnto him that is able to keepe you from falling, and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding ioy,

25 To the onely wise God our Sauiour, be glory and maiestie, dominion and power, now and euer. Amen.

1 Confirming them in hope of the increase of Gods graces,

5 he exhorteth them by faith, and good workes, to make their calling sure:

12 Whereof hee is carefull to remember them, knowing that his death is at hand:

16 And warneth them to be constant in the faith of Christ, who is the true Sonne of God, by the eye witnesse of the Apostles beholding his Maiestie, and by the testimonie of the Father, and the Prophets.

1 Simon Peter, a seruant & an Apostle of Iesus Christ, to them that haue obtained like precious Faith with vs, through the righteousnes of God, and our Sauiour Iesus Christ.

2 Grace and peace be multiplied vnto you through the knowledge of God, and of Iesus our Lord,

3 According as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertain vnto life and godlines, through the knowledge of him that hath called vs [Note: Or, by.] to glory and vertue.

4 Whereby are giuen vnto vs exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might bee partakers of the diuine nature, hauing escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And besides this, giuing all diligence, adde to your faith, vertue; and to vertue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godlinesse;

[Who are blinde.]

7 And to godlinesse, brotherly kindnesse; and to brotherly kindnesse, charitie.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that yee shall neither be barren, nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ.

9 But hee that lacketh these things, is blind, and cannot see farre off, and hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old sinnes.

10 Wherefore, the rather, brethren, giue diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye doe these things, ye shall neuer fall.

11 For so an entrance shall be ministred vnto you abundantly, into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

12 Wherefore I wil not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things, though yee know them, and be stablished in the present trueth.

13 Yea, I thinke it meete, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stirre you vp, by putting you in remembrance:

14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle, euen as [Note: John 21:17.] our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed mee.

15 Moreouer, I will endeuour, that you may bee able after my decease, to haue these things alwayes in remembrance.

16 For wee haue not followed cunningly deuised fables, when wee made knowen vnto you the power and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of his Maiestie.

17 For hee receiued from God the Father, honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent

[False teachers.]

glory, This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased.

18 And this voice which came from heauen wee heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

19 We haue also a more sure word of prophecie, whereunto yee doe well that ye take heede, as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place, vntill the day dawne, and the day starre arise in your hearts:

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any priuate Interpretation:

21 For the prophecie came not [Note: Or, at any time.] in olde time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost.

Hee blesseth God for his manifold spirituall graces:

10 shewing that the saluation in Christ is no newes, but a thing prophesied of olde:

13 And exhorteth them accordingly to a godly conuersation, forasmuch as they are now borne anew by the word of God.

1 Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ, to the strangers scattred thorowout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit vnto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ: Grace vnto you and peace be multiplied.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which according to his [Note: Greek: much.] abundant mercy, hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and vndefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserued in heauen [Note: Or, for vs.] for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation, ready to be reuealed in the last time.

6 Wherin ye greatly reioyce, though now for a season (if neede bee) yee are in heauinesse through manifolde temptations:

7 That the triall of your faith, being much more precious then of golde that perisheth, though it bee tryed with fire, might be found vnto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Iesus Christ:

8 Whom hauing not seene, yee loue, in whom though now ye see him not, yet beleeuing, ye reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable, and full of glory,

[Our price.]

9 Receiuing the ende of your faith, euen the saluation of your soules:

10 Of which saluation the Prophets haue inquired, and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you,

11 Searching what, or what maner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie, when it testified beforehand the suffrings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

12 Unto whome it was reuealed, that not vnto themselues, but vnto vs, they did minister the things which are now reported vnto you, by them that haue preached the Gospel vnto you, with the holy Ghost sent downe from heauen, which things the Angels desire to looke into.

13 Wherefore gird vp the loynes of your minde, bee sober, and hope [Note: Greek: perfectly.] to the end, for the grace that is to bee brought vnto you at the reuelation of Iesus Christ:

14 As obedient children, not fashioning your selues according to the former lusts, in your ignorance:

15 But as hee which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all maner of conuersation;

16 Because it is written, [Note: Leviticus 11:44; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7.] Be ye holy, for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke, passe the time of your soiourning here in feare:

18 For as much as ye know that yee were not redeemed with corruptible things, as siluer and golde, from your vaine conuersation receiued by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lambe without blemish and without spot,

20 Who verily was foreordeined before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

21 Who by him do beleeue in God that

[The corner Stone.]

raised him vp from the dead, and gaue him glorie, that your faith and hope might be in God.

22 Seeing yee haue purified your soules in obeying the truth through the Spirit, vnto vnfained loue of the brethren: see that ye loue one another with a pure heart feruently,

23 Being borne againe, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liueth and abideth for euer.

24 [Note: Or, for that.] For all flesh is as grasse, and all the glory of man as the flowre of grasse: the grasse withereth, and the flowre thereof falleth away.

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for euer: & this is the word which by the Gospel is preached vnto you.