1 John — The Coverdale Bible (1535)
1 John is the letter on fellowship with God, who is light and love. In Coverdale’s Bible of 1535 it stands in the New Testament under the heading “The first Epistle of the Apostle and Euangelist S. Ihon”. Coverdale’s summary of the chapters stands before the text; the 1535 Bible has no verse numbers, so the text keeps its own paragraphs, in 5 chapters, with the marginal notes and references printed after each chapter.
The summe of this epistle.
- Chap. I. True wytnesse of the euerlastinge worde of God. The bloude of Christ is the purgacion from synne. No man is without synne.
- Chap. II. Christ is oure aduocate. Of true loue, and how it is tryed.
- Chap. III. The synguler loue of God to warde vs: and how we agayne oughte to loue one another.
- Chap. IIII. Difference of spretes, and how the sprete of God maye be knowne from the sprete of erroure. Of the loue of God and of oure neghbours.
- Chap. V. To loue God, is to kepe his commaundemētes. Faith ouercommeth the worlde. Euerlastinge life is in the sonne of God▪ Of the synne vnto death.
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Chapter 1
[A] THat which was from yᵉ begynnynge, which we haue herde, which ⁽¹⁾ we haue sene with oʳ eyes, which we haue loked vpon, ⁽²⁾ and oʳ handes haue handled of the worde of life: and the life hath appeared, and we haue sene, and beare wytnes, and shewe vnto you yᵉ life that is euerlastinge,⁽³⁾ which was with the father, and hath apeared vnto vs. That which we haue sene & herde, declare we vnto you, that ye also maye haue fellishippe with vs, and that oure fellishippe maye be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ. And this wryte we vnto you, ⁽⁴⁾ that youre ioye maye be full.
And this is the tydinges which we haue herde of him, & declare vnto you, that▪ God is lighte, and in him is no darknes at all. Yf we saye that we haue fellishippe with him, and yet walke in darknes, we lye, and do not the trueth. But yf we walke in lighte, euen as he is in lighte, then haue we fellishippe together, ⁽⁵⁾ and the bloude of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all synne.
⁽⁶⁾ Yf we saye that we haue no synne, we disceaue oure selues, and the trueth is not in vs. ⁽⁷⁾ But yf we knowlege oure synnes, he is faith full and iust to forgeue vs oure synnes, & to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes. Yf we saye, we haue not synned, we make him a lyar, and his worde is not in vs.
Notes to Chapter 1
⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
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⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
Chapter 2
[A] MY litle children, these thinges wryte I vnto you, that ye shulde not synne: and yf eny man synne, we haue an aduocate with the father, euen Iesus Christ which is righteous: ⁽¹⁾ and he it is that optayneth grace for oure synnes: not for oure synnes onely, but also for the synnes of all the worlde. And hereby are we sure that we knowe him, yf we kepe his cōmaundemētes. ⁽²⁾ He that sayeth: I knowe him, and kepeth not his cōmaundemētes, is a lyar, and the trueth is not in him, But who so kepeth his worde, in him is the loue of God perfecte in dede. ⁽³⁾ Hereby knowe we, that we are in him. He yᵗ sayeth he abydeth in him, oughte to walke euen as he walked.
Brethren, I wryte no new commaundement vnto you, but that olde commaundement, which ye haue herde from the begynnynge. The olde cōmaundement is the worde, which ye haue herde from the begynnynge. Agayne,⁽⁴⁾ a new cōmaundemēt wryte I vnto you, a thinge that is true in him & also in you: for the darknesse is past, and the true lighte now shyneth.
He that sayeth he is in lighte, and hateth [B] his brother, is yet in darknesse. He yᵗ loueth his brother, abydeth in the lighte, and there is none occasion of euell in him. But he yᵗ hateth his brother, is in darknes, and walketh in darknes, and can not tell whither he goeth, for yᵉ darknes hath blynded his eyes.
Babes, I wryte vnto you, ⁽⁵⁾ that yoʳ synnes are forgeuen you for his names sake. I wryte vnto you fathers, how that ye haue knowne him which is from yᵉ begynnynge. I wryte vnto you yonge mē, how that ye haue euercome the wicked. I wryte vnto you litle children, how that ye haue knowne the father. I haue wrytten vnto you fathers, how that ye haue knowne him, which is frō the begynnynge. I haue wrytten vnto you yonge men, how that ye are stronge, and the worde of God abydeth in you, and ye haue ouer come that wicked.
Se that ye loue not the worlde, nether yᵉ [C] thinges that are in the worlde. Yf eny man loue the worlde, the loue of the father is not in him: for all that is in the worlde (namely the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pryde of life) is not of the father, but of the worlde. And ⁽⁶⁾ the worlde passeth awaye and the lust therof. But he that fulfylleth the wyll of God, abydeth for euer.
Litle children, it is the last houre, and (as ye haue herde that ⁽⁷⁾ Antechrist shal come) euen now are there many become Antechristes allready: wherby we knowe, that it is yᵉ last houre. They wente out ⁽⁸⁾ frō vs, but they were not of vs: for yf they had bene of vs, they wolde no doute haue contynued with vs. But * that they maye be knowne, how that they are not all of vs.
But ye haue the ⁽⁹⁾anoyntinge of ⟨illegible⟩ holy, & ye knowe all thīges. I haue ⟨illegible⟩ vnto you, as though ye knewe not yᵉ trueth but ye knowe it, & are sure, yᵗ no lye cōmeth [D] of yᵉ trueth. Who is a lyar, but he yᵗ denyeth yᵉ Iesus is Christ? The same is yᵉ Antichrist, yᵗ denyeth the father & yᵉ sonne. Whosoeuer denyeth the sonne, the same hath not the father. Loke what ye haue herde now from yᵉ begynnynge, let the same abyde in you. Yf yᵗ which he herde from the begynnynge shal remayne in you, then shal ye also abyde in yᵉ sonne and in the father. And this is the promes yᵗ he hath promysed vs, euē eternall life.
This haue I wryttē vnto you cōcerninge thē that disceaue you.⁽¹⁰⁾ And the anoyntinge which ye haue receaued of him, dwelleth in you: & ye nede not yᵗ eny mā teach you, but as the anoyntinge teacheth you all thīges, euen so is it true, & is no lye. And as it hath taughte you, euē so abide ye therin. And now babes, abyde in hī, yᵗ whā he shal appeare, we maye be bolde, & not be made ashamed of him at his commynge. Yf ye knowe yᵗ he is righteous, knowe also that he which doth righteousnes, is borne of him.
Notes to Chapter 2
⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽²⁾ Ioh. 4. c
⁽³⁾ Ioh. 13. d
⁽⁴⁾ Ioh. 13. d
⁽⁵⁾ Luc. 24. ⟨illegible⟩ Act. 4. a
⁽⁶⁾ 1. Cor. 7. d
⁽⁷⁾ Mat. 24. a Ioh. 5. d
⁽⁸⁾ Ioh. 1⟨illegible⟩. c Act. 20. d ⟨illegible⟩. 11. b
⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 11. b
⁽¹⁰⁾ Esa. 54. c Ioh. 6. c 14. c. 16. b
Chapter 3
[A] BEholde what loue the father hath shewed on vs, yᵗ we shulde be called the childrē of God. Therfore yᵉ worlde knoweth you not, because it knoweth not him. Dearly beloued, we are now yᵉ ⁽¹⁾ childrē of God, and yet hath it not appeared what we shalbe. ⁽²⁾ But we knowe yᵗ when he shal appeare, we shal be like him: for we shal se him as he is. And euery man yᵗ hath this hope in him, pourgeth him selfe, euen as he is pure. Who so euer cōmytteth synne, cōmytteth vnrighteousnes also, and synne is vnrighteousnes. ⁽³⁾ And ye knowe that he appeared to take awaye oure synnes: and in him is no synne. Who so euer abydeth in him, synneth not: who soeuer synneth, hath not sene him nether knowne him.
[B] Babes, let no man disceaue you. He that doeth righteousnes, is righteous, euen as he is righteous. He that commytteth synne, is of the deuell:⁽⁴⁾ for the deuell synneth sence yᵉ begynnynge. For this purpose appeared the sonne of God, to lowse the workes of the deuell. * Who so euer is borne of God, synneth not: for his * sede remayneth in him, & he cā not synne, because he is borne of God. * By this are the children of God knowne & the children of the deuell. Who so euer doeth not righteousnes, is not of God, nether he that loueth not his brother.
For this is the tydinges which ye haue ⟨illegible⟩ the begynnynge, that ye shulde ⟨illegible⟩ one another, * not as Cain▪ which was of the wicked, and slewe his brother. And wherfore slewe he him? euen because his awne workes were euell, and his brothers righteous. ⁽⁵⁾ Maruayle not (my brethren) though the worlde hate you. We knowe yᵗ we are trāslated from death vnto life, because we loue the brethren. He that loueth not his brother, abydeth in death.⁽⁶⁾ Who soeuer hateth his brother, is a mansleyer. And ye knowe that a mansleyer hath not eternall life abydinge in him.
Hereby haue we perceaued loue, that he [C] gaue his life for vs, and therfore ought we also to geue oure lyues for the brethrē. But he yᵗ hath this worldes good, & seyth his brother haue nede, and shutteth vp his hert frō him, how dwelleth the loue of God in him? My litle children,⁽⁷⁾ let vs not loue with worde nether with tonge, but with yᵉ dede, and with the trueth. Hereby knowe we, that we are of the verite, and can quyete oure hertes before him. But yf oure hert condemne vs, God is greater thē oure hert, and knoweth all thinges. Dearly beloued, yf oure hert condemne vs not, then haue we a fre boldnes to God warde. ⁽⁸⁾ And what so euer we axe, we shal receaue it: because we kepe his cōmaundemētes, and do those thinges, which are pleasaunt in his sighte.
And this is his cōmaundement, that we beleue on yᵉ name of his sonne Iesus Christ, and loue one another, ⁽⁹⁾ as he gaue commaundement. And he that kepeth his commaundementes, dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby knowe we that he abydeth in vs, euen by the sprete which he hath geuen vs.
Notes to Chapter 3
⁽¹⁾ Luc. 20. d
⁽²⁾ Ro 8. c 1. Cor. 15 f Col. 3. a Phil. 3 c
⁽³⁾ Esa. 53. d ⟨illegible⟩. Tim. 1. c Tit. 2 b 8. Pet. 2. c
⁽⁴⁾ Ioh. 8. d
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Chapter 4
DEarly beleued, beleue not ye euery sprete, ⁽¹⁾ but proue the spretes, whether they be of God. For many false prophetes are gone out in to the worlde. Hereby shal ye knowe the sprete of God: Euery sprete which confesseth, that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God: And euery sprete which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not off God. And this is that sprete of Antechrist, off whom ye haue herde, how that he shal come, and euen now allready is he in the worlde. Litle children, ye are off God, and haue ouer come them: for greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the worlde. They are off the worlde, therfore speake they off the worlde, and the worlde herkeneth vnto them. We are of God, ⁽²⁾ and he that knoweth God, herkeneth vnto vs: he that is not of God, heareth vs not. Hereby knowe we the sprete of trueth, and yᵉ sprete of erroure.
[B] Dearly beloued, let vs loue one another, for loue commeth of God. And euery one yᵗ loueth, is borne of God, and knoweth God. He that loueth not, knoweth not God: for God is loue. ⁽³⁾ By this appeared the loue of God to vs warde, because that God sent his onely begotten sonne in to this worlde, that we mighte lyue thorow him. Herein is loue, not that we loued God, but that he loued vs, ⁽⁴⁾ and sent his sonne to make agremēt for oure synnes.
Dearly beloued, yf God so loued vs, we oughte also to loue one another. ⁽⁵⁾ No man hath sene God at eny tyme. Yf we loue one another, God dwelleth in vs, and his loue is perfecte in vs. Hereby knowe we that we dwell in him, and he in vs, because he hath geuen vs of his sprete. And we haue sene, & testifye that the father sent the sonne to be the Sauioure of the worlde. ⁽⁶⁾ Who soeuer now confesseth yᵗ Iesus is the sonne of God in him dwelleth God, and he in God: and we haue knowne and beleued the loue that God hath to vs.
[C] God is loue, and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God, and God in him. Here in is the loue perfecte with vs, that we shulde haue a fre boldnesse in the daye of iudgment: for as he is, euē so are we in this worlde. Feare is not in loue, but perfecte loue casteth out feare: for feare hath paynefulnes. He that feareth, is not perfecte in loue.
Let vs loue him, for he loued vs first ⁽⁷⁾ Yf eny man saye: I loue God, & yet hateth his brother, he is a lyar. For he that loueth not his brother whom he seyth, how can he loue God, whom he seyth not? And this cōmaundement haue we of him, ⁽⁸⁾that he which loueth God, shulde loue his brother also.
Notes to Chapter 4
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⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
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Chapter 5
[A] WHo so euer beleueth that Iesus is Christ, ⁽¹⁾ is borne of God. And who soeuer loueth him that begat, loueth him also which was begotten of him. By this we knowe that we loue Gods children, whan we loue God, and kepe his commaundementes. For this is the loue of God, that we kepe his commaundementes, ⁽²⁾ and his commaundemētes are not greuous. For all that is borne of God, ouer commeth the worlde: and this is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde, euē oure faith. Who is it yᵗ ouercommeth the worlde, but he which beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God?
This is he that cōmeth with water and bloude, euen Iesus Christ: not with water onely, but with water and bloude. ⁽³⁾ And it is the sprete that beareth wytnes: for the sprete is the trueth. (For there are thre which beare recorde in heauen: the father, the worde, and the holy goost, & these thre are one.) And there are thre which beare recorde in earth: the sprete, water and bloude, and these thre are one.
Yf we receaue the witnesse of men, the [B] witnesse of God is greater: for this is the wytnesse of God, which he testifyed of his sonne. ⁽⁴⁾ He that beleueth on yᵉ sonne of God, hath the wytnes in him selfe. He that beleueth not God, hath made him a lyar. And this is that recorde, euen yᵗ God hath geuē vs euerlastinge life. ⁽⁵⁾ And this life is in his sonne. He that hath the sonne of God, hath life: He that hath not the sonne of God, hath not life.
These thinges haue I wryttē vnto you, which beleue on the name of the sonne of God, that ye maye knowe, how that ye haue eternall life, and that ye maye beleue on yᵉ name of the sonne of God. And this is the fre boldnesse which we haue towarde him, that yf we axe eny thinge acordinge to his wyll, he heareth vs. And yf we knowe that he heareth vs what so euer we axe, then are we sure that we haue yᵉ peticions, which we haue desyred of him.
Yf eny man se his brother synne a synne [C] not vnto death, let him axe, and he shal geue him life, for thē yᵗ synne not vnto death. There is a ⁽⁶⁾ synne vnto death, for the which saye I not that a man shulde praye. All vnrighteousnes is synne, and there is synne not vnto death.
We knowe, that whosoeuer is borne off God, synneth not: but he that is begottē of God, kepeth himselfe, & yᵗ wicked toucheth him not. We knowe that we are of God, & the worlde is set alltogether on wickednes. But we knowe, that the sonne of God is come, ⁽⁷⁾and hath geuen vs a mynde, to knowe him which is true: and we are in him yᵗ is true, in his sonne Iesu Christ. This is the true God, and euer lastinge life. Babes kepe youre selues from ymage
Notes to Chapter 5
⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽³⁾ Mat. 3. b and 17. a Ioh. 1. d and 12. d
⁽⁴⁾ Ioh ⟨illegible⟩. e Rom. 8. b Gal. 4. a
⁽⁵⁾ Ioh. 1. a
⁽⁶⁾ Iere. 7. b Mat. 1⟨illegible⟩. c Ioh▪ 8▪ b
⁽⁷⁾ Luc. ⟨illegible⟩4. ⟨illegible⟩
Colophon
This page is an archival transcription of the printed text, not a Good Works Translation. Source: Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe (M.D.XXXV; STC 2063.3), translated by Myles Coverdale, the copy in Cambridge University Library, keyed and encoded by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP Phase I, text A10349, 2005) and released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 public-domain dedication.
4 places illegible in the Cambridge copy were filled from Samuel Bagster’s 1838 page-for-page reprint of the edition (archive.org, holyscriptures00cove), only where the reprint’s reading is certain; each fill is listed on this room’s Supplied Readings page; 36 places are still marked ⟨illegible⟩ (4 in the text, 32 in the marginal notes).
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