James, Peter, John, and Jude
The letters of James, Peter, John, and Jude, on faith that works, hope in suffering, warnings about false teachers, and assurance for those who believe.
21 chapters · read each one, then take its quiz
Sign in to start this plan and track your progress.
Sign in to start- 1James 1: Trials, Temptation, and Doers of the Word
James tells believers to count trials as joy because testing produces endurance, and to ask God for wisdom in faith. Temptation comes from one's own desire, not from God, who gives every good gift, so believers must be quick to listen and be doers of the word.
- 2James 2: Favoritism and Faith Without Works
James condemns showing favoritism to the rich over the poor, since the royal law requires loving one's neighbor. Faith without works is dead, and the examples of Abraham offering Isaac and Rahab hiding the spies show that genuine faith is proven by its deeds.
- 3James 3: Taming the Tongue and Wisdom from Above
Teachers face stricter judgment, and the tongue, though small, is like a spark that sets a forest ablaze and no one can tame it. James contrasts earthly wisdom, marked by jealousy and selfish ambition, with the pure, peaceable, and merciful wisdom from above.
- 4James 4: Friendship with the World and Humility Before God
Quarrels come from selfish desires, and loving the world's ways makes one God's enemy. God resists the proud and shows favor to the humble, so believers must submit to God, resist the devil, stop slandering one another, and say their plans depend on the Lord's will.
- 5James 5: Rich Oppressors and the Prayer of Faith
James warns rich oppressors of coming misery for hoarding wealth and cheating workers. He urges believers to be patient until the Lord comes, like farmers and the prophets and Job. The prayer of faith, offered by elders and righteous believers, has great power.
- 61 Peter 1: A Living Hope and a Call to Holiness
Peter writes to exiles chosen by God the Father, praising him for new life and a living hope through Christ's resurrection. Their faith is being refined by trials, the prophets longed to see this salvation, and they must be holy, having been ransomed by Christ's precious blood.
- 71 Peter 2: Living Stones and a Chosen People
Believers are living stones built on Christ, the cornerstone, and are a people God chose to serve as priests. They should live honorably among unbelievers, submit to authorities, and endure unjust suffering, following Christ, who carried their sins in his own body on the cross.
- 81 Peter 3: Wives, Husbands, and Suffering for Righteousness
Peter instructs wives to win unbelieving husbands by godly conduct and husbands to honor their wives. Believers should love one another, bless those who insult them, and be ready to give a reason for their hope, since Christ suffered once for sins to bring them to God.
- 91 Peter 4: Suffering as a Christian
Since Christ suffered in the flesh, believers should arm themselves with the same mindset and live for God's will rather than human passions. They should love earnestly, serve with their gifts, and not be surprised by fiery trials but rejoice to share Christ's sufferings.
- 101 Peter 5: Shepherd the Flock and Resist the Devil
Peter exhorts elders to shepherd God's flock willingly and as examples, and younger people to submit and be humble. Believers should cast their anxieties on God, resist the devil, who prowls like a lion, and trust the God of all grace to restore them after suffering.
- 112 Peter 1: Growing in Godliness and the Sure Word
God's divine power has granted everything needed for life and godliness, so believers should add virtue, knowledge, self-control, and love to their faith, confirming their calling. Peter was an eyewitness of Christ's majesty, and Scripture came from God through the Spirit.
- 122 Peter 2: False Teachers Condemned
Peter warns that false teachers will secretly bring in destructive heresies and exploit people with greed. God judged the fallen angels, the ancient world, and Sodom and Gomorrah, yet rescued Noah and Lot, and he knows how to rescue the godly and judge the wicked.
- 132 Peter 3: The Day of the Lord
Scoffers will mock the promise of Christ's coming, but the Lord is not slow; he is patient, and God does not measure time as people do. The day of the Lord will arrive unexpectedly, so believers should live holy lives while awaiting new heavens and a new earth.
- 141 John 1: The Word of Life and the Light
John proclaims the Word of life, whom the apostles heard, saw, and touched, so readers may share their fellowship with the Father and Son. God is light, so believers must walk in the light, and if they confess their sins, God is faithful to forgive and cleanse them.
- 151 John 2: Christ Our Advocate and Keeping His Commands
Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, pleads for believers who sin and is the sacrifice that atones for sin. Those who know God keep his commands and love their brothers. John warns against loving the world and against antichrists who deny the Son, urging believers to abide in what they have heard.
- 161 John 3: Children of God and Love in Deed
The Father's great love makes believers his children, and when Christ appears they will be like him. Those born of God do not keep on sinning. Love is shown in Christ laying down his life, so believers must love one another not just in word but in action.
- 171 John 4: Test the Spirits and God Is Love
Believers must test the spirits, since a spirit from God acknowledges that Jesus Christ truly became human. God is love, shown in sending his Son as an atoning sacrifice. His love comes first and produces love in believers, and mature love leaves no room for fear.
- 181 John 5: Faith That Overcomes and Assurance of Life
Those who believe Jesus is the Christ have been born of God, and faith in the Son of God overcomes the world. God has testified about his Son, and eternal life is found in the Son. John writes so believers may know they have eternal life and pray with confidence.
- 192 John 1: Walking in Truth and Love
The elder writes to the chosen lady and her children, rejoicing that some walk in the truth and urging them to love one another by keeping God's commands. He warns of deceivers who deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh and forbids welcoming them or aiding their work.
- 203 John 1: Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius
The elder commends his beloved friend Gaius for walking in the truth and showing hospitality to traveling missionaries. He rebukes Diotrephes, who craves the top position and refuses to welcome the brothers, commends Demetrius, and hopes to visit soon.
- 21Jude 1: Contend for the Faith
Jude urges believers to defend the faith handed down once for all, because ungodly people have crept in, twisting God's grace into an excuse for immorality. Recalling past judgments, he calls believers to build themselves up, keep themselves in God's love, and show mercy, and he praises God who keeps them.