The General Epistles

James opens with joy in trials, because the testing of faith produces perseverance. Temptation comes from a man's own desire, while every good gift comes down from the Father of the heavenly lights. So the readers must do the word they hear, and care for orphans and widows.

In chapter 2 James rebukes a church that gives the rich man the good seat and makes the poor man stand, and he shows that faith with no deeds is dead, as Abraham and Rahab prove. Chapter 3 warns teachers about the tongue, which no man can tame, and sets the wisdom from above against the wisdom of the earth. Chapter 4 traces their quarrels to pride and calls them to submit to God. Chapter 5 warns the rich who cheat their workers, urges patience until the Lord comes, and tells the sick to call the elders to pray over them.

Peter opens by blessing God for his readers' new birth into a living hope and for an inheritance kept in heaven, and he tells them that their trials test their faith as fire tests gold. They were ransomed by the precious blood of Christ, so they are to be holy, as God is holy.

In chapter 2 they come to Christ, the living stone, and are built into a spiritual house, a people God has made his own. Peter then teaches them how to live among their neighbours as citizens, as servants and as wives and husbands, repaying insult with blessing. Chapter 4 tells them not to be surprised by the fiery trial, since to suffer for the name of Christ is to share his sufferings. Chapter 5 charges the elders to shepherd the flock and closes with greetings from the church in Babylon.

Peter writes knowing that his death is near, so that his readers will remember his teaching. God's power has given them everything they need for life and godliness, and they are to add to their faith virtue, knowledge, self-control and the rest, up to love. His message rests on what he saw on the holy mountain, where he heard the Father's voice.

Chapter 2 warns that false teachers will come among them, greedy men who deny the Master who bought them. God judged the angels who sinned, the ancient world in the flood and Sodom, and he rescued Noah and Lot, so he knows how to rescue the godly. Chapter 3 answers scoffers who ask where the promised coming is. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and his delay is patience. The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and the letter ends with a charge to grow in grace.

The letter opens with what the writer and those with him heard, saw and touched, the Word of life, and they write so that their readers may share their fellowship with the Father and the Son. God is light, so those who walk with him confess their sins. Those who know him keep his commandments and love their brothers. Some have left the church denying that Jesus is the Christ, and the writer calls them antichrists.

Chapter 3 rejoices that believers are called children of God and sets two families side by side, the children of God and the children of the devil, with Cain as the warning. Chapter 4 tells the readers to test the spirits, and says that God is love, shown in the Son he sent, so his children love one another. Chapter 5 says that whoever has the Son has life, and the letter closes with a warning to keep away from idols.

The elder writes to a household he loves in the truth, as do all who know the truth. He rejoices that some of her children are walking in the truth, as the Father commanded, and he asks the household to love one another. They have had that commandment from the beginning, and love means walking according to God's commandments.

Then he gives the reason for the letter. Many deceivers have gone out into the world who refuse to confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. The household must watch itself so that it keeps what has been worked for. Whoever remains in the teaching of Christ has both the Father and the Son, and a teacher who brings another teaching is to be refused the house and the greeting. The elder has much more to say, and he hopes to come and speak with them face to face, so that their joy may be complete.

The elder writes to Gaius, whom he loves in the truth, and prays that he is in good health. Travelling brothers have come back and told how Gaius holds to the truth, and the elder has no greater joy than to hear that his children walk in it. Gaius has welcomed these brothers into his home, though they were strangers to him. The elder asks him to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God, because they went out for the sake of the Name and took nothing from the Gentiles.

Diotrephes, who loves to be first, has refused the elder's letter, spread slander about him, turned the brothers away and put out of the church anyone who welcomed them. The elder tells Gaius to imitate what is good, and he commends Demetrius, of whom everyone speaks well. He hopes to see Gaius soon and to talk with him face to face.

Jude meant to write about the salvation they shared, and he wrote instead to urge them to contend for the faith entrusted once for all to the saints. Certain men have slipped in among them unnoticed. They turn the grace of God into a license for immorality and deny the only Master and Lord.

Jude reminds his readers how God has judged before. The Lord destroyed the unbelievers he had brought out of Egypt, he keeps the angels who left their place in chains for judgment, and he made Sodom and Gomorrah an example of eternal fire. These men have gone the way of Cain, Balaam and Korah. Then Jude turns to the beloved. They are to build themselves up in the faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep themselves in the love of God and show mercy to those who doubt. The letter closes with praise to the God who is able to keep them from stumbling.