Wednesday, February 12, 2025

^3:1This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you ²that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, ³knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts ⁴and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” ⁵For they willfully forget that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water by the word of God, ⁶by which means the world that existed then, being overflowed with water, perished. ⁷But the heavens that exist now and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. ⁸But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat; and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. ¹¹Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness, ¹²looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? ¹³But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without defect and blameless in his sight. ¹⁵Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you, ¹⁶as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. ¹⁸But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

WEB, public domain

^13:24But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, ²⁵the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky. ²⁸“Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near; ²⁹even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors. ³⁰Most certainly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

WEB, public domain

^1:8Behold, God has delivered the land before you; go in and inherit the land, which I sware to your fathers, Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob, to give it to them and to their seed after them. ⁹And I spoke to you at that time, saying, I shall not be able by myself to bear you. ¹⁰The Lord your God has multiplied you, and, behold, ye are to-day as the stars of heaven for multitude. ¹¹The Lord God of your fathers add to you a thousand-fold more than you are, and bless you as he has spoken to you. ¹⁵So I took of you wise and understanding and prudent men, and I set them to rule over you as rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, and officers to your judges. ¹⁶And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear causes between your brethren, and judge rightly between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. ¹⁷Thou shalt not have respect to persons in judgment, thou shalt judge small and great equally; thou shalt not shrink from before the person of a man, for the judgment is God's; and whatsoever matter shall be too hard for you, ye shall bring it to me, and I will hear it.

Brenton LXX, public domain

^10:14Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord thy God, the earth and all things that are in it. ¹⁵Only the Lord chose your fathers to love them, and he chose out their seed after them, even you, beyond all nations, as at this day. ¹⁶Therefore ye shall circumcise the hardness of your heart, and ye shall not harden your neck. ¹⁷For the Lord your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great, and strong, and terrible God, who does not accept persons, nor will he by any means accept a bribe: ¹⁸executing judgment for the stranger and orphan and widow, and he loves the stranger to give him food and raiment. ¹⁹And ye shall love the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²⁰Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt cleave to him, and shalt swear by his name. ²¹He is thy boast, and he is thy God, who has wrought in the midst of thee these great and glorious things, which thine eyes have seen.

Brenton LXX, public domain

^10:9I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture. ¹⁰The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. ¹¹“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. ¹³The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; ¹⁵even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.

WEB, public domain

^3:1This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you ²that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, ³knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts ⁴and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” ⁵For they willfully forget that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water by the word of God, ⁶by which means the world that existed then, being overflowed with water, perished. ⁷But the heavens that exist now and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. ⁸But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat; and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. ¹¹Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness, ¹²looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? ¹³But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without defect and blameless in his sight. ¹⁵Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you, ¹⁶as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. ¹⁸But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

WEB, public domain

^13:7Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited. ¹⁰We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp. ¹²Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate. ¹³Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach. ¹⁴For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come. ¹⁵Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name. ¹⁶But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

WEB, public domain

^13:24But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, ²⁵the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky. ²⁸“Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near; ²⁹even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors. ³⁰Most certainly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

WEB, public domain

^5:14“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. ¹⁷“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. ¹⁸For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. ¹⁹Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

WEB, public domain