Day 77 of 365

¹But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

²Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned.

³In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old does not linger, and their destruction is not asleep.

⁴For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to the lower parts of hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

⁵and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a proclaimer of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly;

⁶and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly;

⁷and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked

⁸(for that righteous man dwelling among them, was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds):

⁹the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment;

¹⁰but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;

¹¹whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord.

¹²But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed,

¹³suffering the penalty as the wages of evil; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you;

¹⁴having eyes full of adultery, and who cannot cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing;

¹⁵forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;

¹⁶but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man's voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.

¹⁷These are wells without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved.

¹⁸For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who barely escape from those who live in error;

¹⁹promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him.

²⁰For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

²¹For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

²²It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "The dog turns to his own vomit again," and "the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire."

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 the Lord and Savior through your apostles:

³knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking and 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 this 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 then was, being overflowed with water, perished.

⁷But the heavens that now are, 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 do not 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 is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; 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 disclosed.

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 blemish 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.

¹That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life

²(and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us);

³that which we have seen and heard we declare to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

⁴And we write these things, that our joy may be fulfilled.

⁵This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

⁶If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not tell the truth.

⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

⁸If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

¹My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and for him to listen to me.

²In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. My hand was stretched out in the night, and did not get tired. My soul refused to be comforted.

³I remember God, and I groan. I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. Selah.

⁴You hold my eyelids open. I am so troubled that I can't speak.

⁵I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

⁶I remember my song in the night. I consider in my own heart; my spirit diligently inquires:

⁷"Will the Lord reject us forever? Will he be favorable no more?

⁸Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Does his promise fail for generations?

⁹Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he, in anger, withheld his compassion?" Selah.

¹⁰Then I thought, "I will appeal to this: the years of the right hand of the Most High."

¹¹I will remember Yah's deeds; for I will remember your wonders of old.

¹²I will also meditate on all your work, and consider your doings.

¹³Your way, God, is in the sanctuary. What god is great like God?

¹⁴You are the God who does wonders. You have made your strength known among the peoples.

¹⁵You have redeemed your people with your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

¹⁶The waters saw you, God. The waters saw you, and they writhed. The depths also convulsed.

¹⁷The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.

¹⁸The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind. The lightnings lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook.

¹⁹Your way was through the sea; your paths through the great waters. Your footsteps were not known.

²⁰You led your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

¹A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

²The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly.

³The Lord's eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

⁴A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit.

⁵A fool despises his father's correction, but he who heeds reproof shows prudence.

⁶In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but the income of the wicked brings trouble.

⁷The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so with the heart of fools.

⁸The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁹The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loves him who follows after righteousness.

¹⁰There is stern discipline for one who forsakes the way: whoever hates reproof shall die.

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon are before the Lord- how much more then the hearts of the children of men!

¹²A scoffer doesn't love to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.

¹³A glad heart makes a cheerful face; but an aching heart breaks the spirit.

¹⁴The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are wretched, but one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast.

¹⁶Better is little, with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble.

¹⁷Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred.

¹⁸A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife.

¹⁹The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding keeps his way straight.

²²Where there is no counsel, plans fail; but in a multitude of counselors they are established.

²³Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!

²⁴The path of life leads upward for the wise, to keep him from going downward to Sheol.

²⁵The Lord will uproot the house of the proud, but he will keep the widow's borders intact.

²⁶The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but the thoughts of the pure are pleasing.

²⁷He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.

²⁹The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰The light of the eyes rejoices the heart. Good news gives health to the bones.

³¹The ear that listens to reproof lives, and will be at home among the wise.

³²He who refuses correction despises his own soul, but he who listens to reproof gets understanding.

³³The fear of the Lord teaches wisdom. Before honor is humility.