Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 2

The Appearance of False Prophets

¹ But ^(C1)false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be ^(C2)false teachers ^(C3)among you, who will ^(C4)secretly introduce ^(C5)destructive heresies, even ^(C6)denying the ^(C7)Master who ^(C8)bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.² Many will follow their ^(C1)indecent behavior, and because of them ^(C2)the way of the truth will be ^(C3)maligned;³ and in their ^(C1)greed they will ^(C2)exploit you with ^(C3)false words; ^(C4)their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

⁴ For ^(C1)if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into ^(F1)hell and ^(C2)committed them to ^(F2)pits of darkness, held for judgment;⁵ and did not spare ^(C1)the ancient world, but protected ^(C2)Noah, a ^(F1)preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a ^(C3)flood upon the world of the ungodly;⁶ and if He ^(C1)condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an ^(C2)example ^(F1)of what is coming for the ^(C3)ungodly;⁷ and if He ^(C1)rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the ^(C2)perverted conduct of ^(F1)(C3)unscrupulous people⁸ (for by what he saw and heard that ^(C1)righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),^9 (C1)then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from ^(F1)a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the ^(C2)day of judgment,

¹⁰ and especially those who ^(F1)(C1)indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and ^(C2)despise ^(F2)authority. ^(F3)Reckless, ^(C3)self-centered, they ^(C2)speak abusively of angelic ^(F4)majesties without trembling,^11 (C1)whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a demeaning judgment against them before the Lord.¹² But ^(C1)these, like unreasoning animals, ^(C2)born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, using abusive speech where they have no knowledge, will in ^(F1)the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed,¹³ suffering wrong as ^(C1)the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to ^(C2)revel in the ^(C3)daytime. They are stains and blemishes, ^(C2)reveling in their ^(F1)deceptions as they ^(C4)feast with you,¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery ^(F1)that never cease from sin, ^(C1)enticing ^(C2)unstable souls, having hearts trained in ^(C3)greed, ^(C4)accursed children;¹⁵ abandoning ^(C1)the right way, they have gone astray, having followed ^(C2)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(C3)the ^(F1)reward of unrighteousness;¹⁶ but he received a rebuke for his own offense, ^(C1)for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.

¹⁷ These are ^(C1)springs without water and mists driven by a storm, ^(C2)for whom the ^(F1)black darkness has been reserved.¹⁸ For, while speaking out ^(C1)arrogant words of no ^(C2)value they ^(C3)entice by fleshly desires, by ^(C4)indecent behavior, those who barely ^(C5)escape from the ones who live in error,¹⁹ promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for ^(C1)by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved.²⁰ For if, after they have ^(C1)escaped the defilements of the world by ^(C2)the knowledge of the ^(C3)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again ^(C4)entangled in them and are overcome, ^(C5)the last state has become worse for them than the first.^21 (C1)For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from ^(C2)the holy commandment ^(C3)handed on to them.^22 (F1)It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "^(C1)A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire."

Chapter 3

Purpose of This Letter

^1 (C1)Beloved, this is now the second letter I am writing to you in which I am ^(C2)stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder,² to ^(C1)remember the words spoken beforehand by ^(C2)the holy prophets and ^(C3)the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

The Coming Day of the Lord

⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, ^(C1)beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and ^(C2)a thousand years like one day.^9 (C1)The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but ^(C2)is patient toward you, ^(C3)not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

¹¹ Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,^12 (C1)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which ^(C2)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the ^(C3)elements will melt with intense heat!¹³ But according to His ^(C1)promise we are looking for ^(C2)new heavens and a new earth, ^(C3)in which righteousness dwells.

^14 (C1)Therefore, ^(C2)beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be ^(C3)found ^(C4)spotless and blameless by Him, at peace,¹⁵ and regard the ^(C1)patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also ^(C2)our beloved brother Paul, ^(C3)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,¹⁶ as also in all his letters, speaking in them of ^(C1)these things, ^(C2)in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and ^(C3)unstable distort, as they do also ^(C4)the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.¹⁷ You therefore, ^(C1)beloved, knowing this beforehand, ^(C2)be on your guard so that you are not carried away by ^(C3)the error of ^(F1)(C4)unscrupulous people and ^(C5)lose your own ^(F2)firm commitment,¹⁸ but grow in the grace and ^(C1)knowledge of our ^(C2)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ^(C3)To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.