Chapter 235 of 257

Isaiah 2:10–22 Enter into the rock

For we did not make known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ by following ingeniously concocted myths, but by being eyewitnesses of that one’s majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when a voice such as this was brought to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we ourselves heard this voice brought from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain, 19 and we possess as more reliable the prophetic word, to which you do well if you pay attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 recognizing this above all, that every prophecy of scripture does not come about from one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Dear friends, this is already the second letter I am writing to you, in both of which I am attempting to stir up your sincere mind by a reminder, 2 to remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 above all knowing this, that in the last days scoffers will come with scoffing, following according to their own desires 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued just as they have been from the beginning of creation.”

Therefore I intend to remind you continually concerning these things, although you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 But I consider it right, for as long as I am in this habitation, to stir you up by a reminder, 14 because I know that the removal of my habitation is imminent, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will also make every effort that you are able at any time, after my departure, to recall these things to mind.

And on the first day of the week, when we had assembled to break bread, Paul began conversing with them, because he was going to leave on the next day, and he extended his message until midnight. 8 Now there were quite a few lamps in the upstairs room where we were gathered. 9 And a certain young man named Eutychus who was sitting in the window was sinking into a deep sleep while Paul was conversing at length. Being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down and threw himself on him, and putting his arms around him, said, “Do not be distressed, for his life is in him.”

And do this because you know the time, that it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we believed. 12 The night is far gone, and the day has drawn near. Therefore let us throw off the deeds of darkness and put on the weapons of light. 13 Let us live decently, as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and do not make provision for the desires of the flesh.

to remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about these people, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with tens of thousands of his holy ones 15 to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds that they have committed in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Enter into the rock

and hide yourself in the dust

from the presence of the terror of Yahweh

and from the glory of his majesty.

11 The haughty eyes of humanity will be brought low,

and the pride of everyone will be humbled,

and Yahweh alone will be exalted on that day.

12 For there is a day for Yahweh of hosts

against all of the proud and the lofty

and against all that is lifted up and humble,

13 and against all the lofty and lifted up cedars of Lebanon,

and against all the large trees of Bashan,

14 and against all the high mountains,

and against all the lofty hills,

15 and against every kind of high tower,

and against every kind of fortified wall,

16 and against all the ships of Tarshish,

and against all the ships of desire.

17 And the haughtiness of the people shall be humbled,

and the pride of everyone shall be brought low,

and Yahweh alone will be exalted on that day.

18 And the idols shall pass away entirely,

19 and they will enter into the caves of the rocks

and into the holes of the ground

from the presence of the terror of Yahweh

and from the glory of his majesty

when he rises to terrify the earth.

20 On that day humanity will throw away its idols of silver

and its idols of gold,

which they made for it to worship,

to the rodents and to the bats—

21 to enter into the crevices of the rocks

and into the clefts of the crags

from the presence of the terror of Yahweh

and from the glory of his majesty,

when he rises to terrify the earth.

22 Turn away from humanity,

who has breath in its nostrils,

for by what is it esteemed?

Wail, for the day of Yahweh is near;

it will come like destruction from Shaddai!

7 Therefore all hands will grow slack,

and every human heart will melt,

8 and they will be dismayed.

Pangs and labor pains will seize them;

they will tremble like a woman giving birth.

They will stare at one another,

their faces flushing.

9 Look! The day of Yahweh is coming,

cruel and wrath and the burning of anger,

to make the earth a desolation,

and he will destroy its sinners from it.

10 For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not flash forth their light;

the sun will keep back when it comes out,

and the moon will not cause its light to shine.

11 And I will punish the world for its evil

and the wicked for their iniquity.

And I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant,

and I will bring the haughtiness of tyrants low.

12 I will make humanity more rare than gold

and humankind more than the gold of Ophir.

13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,

and the earth will quake from its place

because of the wrath of Yahweh of hosts,

and in the day his anger burns.

14 And this shall happen:

like a hunted gazelle or sheep with none to gather them,

they will each turn to his own people,

and they will each flee to his own land.

15 Everyone who is found will be pierced through,

and everyone who is carried away will fall by the sword.

16 And their children will be dashed into pieces before their eyes;

their houses will be plundered, and their wives will be raped.

Alas! For that day is great,

there is none like it.

And it is a time of distress for Jacob,

yet from it he will be delivered.

“Now at that time, Michael, the great prince, will arise, the protector over the sons of your people, and it will be a time of distress that has not been since your people have been a nation until that time. And at that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written in the scroll.

Alas, those who desire the day of Yahweh, why is this for you the day of Yahweh? It will be darkness and not light! 19 It will be as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him; or he went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall and a snake bit him. 20 Is not the day of Yahweh darkness and not light, and pitch dark with no brightness in it?

Alas! For that day is great,

there is none like it.

And it is a time of distress for Jacob,

yet from it he will be delivered.

while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by being burned up and the celestial bodies will melt as they are consumed by heat!

But whenever all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, in order that God may be all in all.

so that you do not lack in any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called to fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

so that you may approve what is superior, in order that you may be sincere and blameless in the day of Christ,

holding fast to the word of life, for a source of pride to me in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Now we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you will not grieve as also the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, thus also God will bring those who have fallen asleep through Jesus together with him. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain until the Lord’s coming, will not possibly precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own Son. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking perversions of the truth in order to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.

and especially those who go after the flesh in defiling lust and who despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they do not tremble in awe as they blaspheme majestic beings,

For by speaking high-sounding but empty words, they entice with desires of the flesh and with licentiousness those who are scarcely escaping from those who live in error,

and we possess as more reliable the prophetic word, to which you do well if you pay attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,

For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that the heavens existed long ago and the earth held together out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed by being inundated with water. 7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that the heavens existed long ago and the earth held together out of water and through water by the word of God,

by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed by being inundated with water.

For he himself spoke and it came to pass.

He himself commanded and it stood firm.

For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that the heavens existed long ago and the earth held together out of water and through water by the word of God,

by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed by being inundated with water.

and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a proclaimer of righteousness, and seven others when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly,

But our God is in the heavens;

all that he desires, he does.

and rescued righteous Lot, worn down by the way of life of lawless persons in licentiousness

And God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “As for me, behold, I am establishing my covenant with you and with your seed after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and every animal of the earth with you, from all that came out of the ark to all the animals of the earth. 11 I am establishing my covenant with you, that never again will all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, nor will there ever be a flood that destroys the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I am making between me and you, and between every living creature that is with you for future generations. 13 My bow I have set in the clouds, and it shall be for a sign of the covenant between me and between the earth. 14 And when I make clouds appear over the earth the bow shall be seen in the clouds. 15 Then I will remember my covenant that is between me and you, and between every living creature, with all flesh. And the waters of a flood will never again cause the destruction of all flesh. 16 The bow shall be in the clouds, and I will see it, so as to remember the everlasting covenant between God and between every living creature, with all flesh that is upon the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am establishing between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.”

For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us. 19 For the eagerly expecting creation awaits eagerly the revelation of the sons of God. 20 For the creation has been subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its servility to decay, into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans together and suffers agony together until now.

Then Yahweh God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

you will be cursed

more than any domesticated animal

and more than any wild animal.

On your belly you shall go

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

15 And I will put hostility

between you and between the woman,

and between your offspring and between her offspring;

he will strike you on the head,

and you will strike him on the heel.”

16 To the woman he said,

“I will greatly increase

your pain in childbearing;

in pain you shall bear children.

And to your husband shall be your desire.

And he shall rule over you.”

17 And to Adam he said, “Because you listened to the voice of your wife and you ate from the tree from which I forbade you to eat,

the ground shall be cursed on your account.

In pain you shall eat from it

all the days of your life.

18 And thorns and thistles shall sprout for you,

and you shall eat the plants of the field.

19 By the sweat of your brow

you shall eat bread,

until your return to the ground.

For from it you were taken;

for you are dust,

and to dust you shall return.”

Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. 9 The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed by being burned up, and the earth and the deeds done on it will be disclosed.

For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that the heavens existed long ago and the earth held together out of water and through water by the word of God,

For a thousand years in your eyes

are like yesterday when it passes,

or like a watch in the night.

But when the fullness of time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Oh, the depth of the riches

and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!

How unsearchable are his judgments

and how incomprehensible are his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor?

35 Or who has given in advance to him,

and it will be paid back to him?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things.

To him be glory for eternity! Amen.

And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him,

The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Have I delight by any means in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord Yahweh, and not at his turning from his way, so that he lives?

For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying,” declares the Lord Yahweh. “And so repent and live!”

Say to them, ‘As I live,’ declares the Lord Yahweh, ‘Surely I have no delight in the death of the wicked, except in the wicked returning from his way, and he lives. Turn back! Turn back from your ways, O evil ones, for why should you die, house of Israel?’

For God confined them all in disobedience, in order that he could have mercy on them all.

who were formerly disobedient, when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, while an ark was being constructed, in which a few—that is, eight souls—were rescued through water.

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Therefore, brothers, be zealous even more to make your calling and election secure, because if you do these things, you will never ever stumble.

And someone said to him, “Lord, are there only a few who are saved?” And he said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to, 25 when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ And he will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from!’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets!’ 27 And he will reply, saying to you, ‘I do not know where you are from! Go away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside! 29 And they will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

testifying both to Jews and to Greeks with respect to repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

Now six stone water jars were set there, in accordance with the ceremonial cleansing of the Jews, each holding two or three measures.

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did, which—if they were written down one after the other—I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.

And when they heard these things, they became silent and praised God, saying, “Then God has granted the repentance leading to life to the Gentiles also!”

correcting those who are opposed with gentleness, seeing whether perhaps God may grant them repentance to a knowledge of the truth,

But understand this: that if the master of the house had known what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.

But understand this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.

for you yourselves well know that the day of the Lord is coming in the same way as a thief in the night. 3 Whenever they say “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will overtake them like the birth pains of a pregnant woman, and they will not possibly escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in the darkness, so that the day should catch you like a thief, 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

6 So then, we must not sleep like the rest, but must be on the alert and be self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But because we are of the day, we must be sober, by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation, 9 because God did not appoint us for wrath, but for the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live at the same time with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as indeed you are doing.

12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and rule over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them beyond all measure in love, because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, console the discouraged, help the sick, be patient toward all people. 15 See to it that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue good toward one another and toward all people.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but examine all things; hold fast to what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, who also will do this.

25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I adjure you by the Lord, have this letter read aloud to all the brothers. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Whenever they say “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will overtake them like the birth pains of a pregnant woman, and they will not possibly escape.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed by being burned up, and the earth and the deeds done on it will be disclosed.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

But by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not flash forth their light;

the sun will keep back when it comes out,

and the moon will not cause its light to shine.

11 And I will punish the world for its evil

and the wicked for their iniquity.

And I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant,

and I will bring the haughtiness of tyrants low.

The earth is utterly broken;

the earth is torn asunder;

the earth is shaken violently.

and all the host of heaven shall rot.

And the skies shall roll up like a scroll,

and all their host shall wither

like the withering of a leaf from a vine,

or like the withering from a fig tree.

Would that you would tear the heavens and come down;

the mountains would quake before you,

2 as fire kindles brushwood,

the fire causes water to boil,

to make your name known to your adversaries,

that the nations might tremble from your presence.

3 When you did terrible deeds which we did not expect, you came down;

the mountains quaked because of your presence.

4 And since ancient times they have not heard,

have not listened,

no eye has seen a God except you;

he acts for the one who waits for him.

But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness resides.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea did not exist any longer. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“Behold, the dwelling of God is with humanity,

and he will take up residence with them,

and they will be his people

and God himself will be with them.

4 And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes,

and death will not exist any longer,

and mourning or wailing or pain will not exist any longer.

The former things have passed away.”

5 And the one seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new!” And he said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water from the spring of the water of life freely. 7 The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowards and unbelievers and detestable persons and murderers and sexually immoral people and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their share is in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.

9 And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and lofty mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 that has the glory of God. Its radiance is like a precious stone, something like a jasper stone, shining like crystal. 12 It has a great and high wall that has twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on the gates which are of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel—13 on the east, three gates, and on the north, three gates, and on the south, three gates, and on the west, three gates. 14 And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And the one who spoke with me was holding a golden measuring rod in order that he could measure the city and its gates and its wall. 16 And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is the same as its width. And he measured the city with the measuring rod at twelve thousand stadia; the length and the width and the height of it are equal. 17 And he measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits according to human measure, which is the angel’s. 18 And the material of its wall is jasper, and the city is pure gold, similar in appearance to pure glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every kind of precious stone: the first foundation jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each one of the gates was from a single pearl. And the street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.

22 And I did not see a temple in it, for the Lord God All-Powerful is its temple, and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon, that they shine on it, for the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 And its gates will never be shut by day (for there will be no night there), 26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 And every unclean thing and one who practices detestable things and falsehood will never enter into it, except those who are written in the book of life of the Lamb.

Because all these things are being destroyed in this way, what sort of people must you be in holy behavior and godliness, 12 while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by being burned up and the celestial bodies will melt as they are consumed by heat! 13 But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness resides.

14 Therefore, dear friends, because you are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and unblemished in him. 15 And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him, 16 as he does also in all his letters, speaking in them about these things, in which there are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, as they also do the rest of the scriptures. 17 Therefore, dear friends, because you know this beforehand, guard yourselves so that you do not lose your own safe position because you have been led away by the error of lawless persons. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

and for this same reason, and by applying all diligence, supply with your faith excellence of character, and with excellence of character, knowledge,

Therefore, brothers, be zealous even more to make your calling and election secure, because if you do these things, you will never ever stumble.

And I will also make every effort that you are able at any time, after my departure, to recall these things to mind.

14 Therefore, dear friends, because you are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and unblemished in him.

And while the people were waiting expectantly and all were pondering in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he might be the Christ,

So he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

looking forward to the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

“You must be prepared for action and your lamps burning. 36 And you, be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that when he comes back and knocks, they can open the door for him immediately. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he returns! Truly I say to you that he will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table and will come by and serve them. 38 Even if he should come back in the second or in the third watch of the night and find them like this, blessed are they! 39 But understand this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think he will come.”

41 And Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us, or also for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful wise manager whom the master will put in charge over his servants to give them their food allowance at the right time? 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find so doing when he comes back. 44 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave should say to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time to return,’ and he begins to beat the male slaves and the female slaves and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in two and assign his place with the unbelievers. 47 And that slave who knew the will of his master and did not prepare or do according to his will will be given a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know and did things deserving blows will be given a light beating. And from everyone to whom much has been given, much will be demanded, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will ask him for even more.

Because all these things are being destroyed in this way, what sort of people must you be in holy behavior and godliness,

through which things he has bestowed on us his precious and very great promises, so that through these you may become sharers of the divine nature after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire,

Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires which wage war against your soul,

but as the one who called you is holy, you yourselves be holy in all your conduct, 16 for it is written, “You will be holy, because I am holy.”

and with knowledge, self-control, and with self-control, patient endurance, and with patient endurance, godliness, 7 and with godliness, brotherly love, and with brotherly love, love.

It is necessary for that one to increase, but for me to decrease.”

For we know that if our earthly house, the tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed, in this house we groan, because we desire to put on our dwelling from heaven, 3 if indeed, even after we have taken it off, we will not be found naked. 4 For indeed we who are in this tent groan, being burdened for this reason, that we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the down payment, the Spirit.

6 Therefore, although we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—7 for we live by faith, not by sight—8 so we are confident and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore indeed we have as our ambition, whether at home in the body or absent from the body, to be acceptable to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we are attempting to persuade people, but we are revealed to God, and I hope to be revealed in your consciences.

Become fellow imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who walk in this way, just as you have us as an example. 18 For many live, of whom I spoke about to you many times, but now speak about even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose God is the stomach, and whose glory is in their shame, the ones who think on earthly things. 20 For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our humble body to be conformed to his glorious body, in accordance with the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need of anything to be written to you, 2 for you yourselves well know that the day of the Lord is coming in the same way as a thief in the night. 3 Whenever they say “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will overtake them like the birth pains of a pregnant woman, and they will not possibly escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in the darkness, so that the day should catch you like a thief, 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, 12 training us in order that, denying impiety and worldly desires, we may live self-controlled and righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking forward to the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us, in order that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds. 15 Speak these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Finally, the crown of righteousness is reserved for me, that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

And they went hurrying and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.

And when he came to the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because it is necessary for me to stay at your house today!” 6 And he came down quickly and welcomed him joyfully.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not be having to spend time in Asia. For he was hurrying if it could be possible for him to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and depart quickly from Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’

But these persons, like irrational animals born only with natural instincts for capture and killing, blaspheming about things they do not understand, in their destruction will also be destroyed,

And Jonah began to go into the city a journey of one day, and he cried out and said, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be demolished!”

May your kingdom come,

may your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

And when he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one of whom had a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

And another angel who had a golden censer came and stood at the altar, and a large amount of incense was given to him, in order that he could offer the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense went up before God with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel.

Simeon has described how God first concerned himself to take from among the Gentiles a people for his name.

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out, 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christ appointed for you—Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all things, about which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from earliest times.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Therefore, dear friends, because you are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and unblemished in him.

And now, little children, remain in him, so that whenever he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.

so we are confident and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore indeed we have as our ambition, whether at home in the body or absent from the body, to be acceptable to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we are attempting to persuade people, but we are revealed to God, and I hope to be revealed in your consciences.

But why do you judge your brother? Or also, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me,

and every tongue will praise God.”

12 So each one of us will give an account concerning himself.

13 Therefore, let us no longer pass judgment on one another, but rather decide this: not to place a cause for stumbling or a temptation before a brother.

Therefore repent! But if you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war with them with the sword from my mouth.

but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb

being harmed as the wages of unrighteousness. Considering reveling in the daytime a pleasure, they are stains and blemishes, carousing in their deceitful pleasures when they feast together with you,

But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness resides.

And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him, 16 as he does also in all his letters, speaking in them about these things, in which there are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, as they also do the rest of the scriptures.

And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him,

The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what was impossible for the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the requirement of the law would be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are living according to the flesh are intent on the things of the flesh, but those who are living according to the Spirit are intent on the things of the Spirit.

And why not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, in order that good may come of it”? Their condemnation is just!

What therefore shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, in order that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we may live a new way of life. 5 For if we have become identified with him in the likeness of his death, certainly also we will be identified with him in the likeness of his resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified together with him, in order that the body of sin may be done away with, that we may no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For the one who has died has been freed from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 knowing that Christ, because he has been raised from the dead, is going to die no more, death no longer being master over him. 10 For that death he died, he died to sin once and never again, but that life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So also you, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires, 13 and do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin will not be master over you, because you are not under law, but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that to whomever you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to whomever you obey, whether sin, leading to death, or obedience, leading to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that you were slaves of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18 and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. 19 (I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you presented your members as slaves to immorality and lawlessness, leading to lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to righteousness.

21 Therefore what sort of fruit did you have then, about which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now, having been set free from sin and having been enslaved to God, you have your fruit leading to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. 23 For the compensation due sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

↑ Back to top