From: "FamilyNet Direct"
Bible Reading for December 17
2 Peter 1
[1] Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have
obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ:
[2] Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and
of Jesus our Lord,
[3] According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to
glory and virtue:
[4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust. [5] And beside this, giving all
diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
[6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience
godliness;
[7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
[8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[9] But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and
hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. [10] Wherefore the
rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for
if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: [11] For so an entrance shall be
ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. [12] Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always
in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the
present truth. [13] Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle,
to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
[14] Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord
Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
[15] Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have
these things always in remembrance. [16] For we have not followed cunningly
devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
[17] For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came
such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased.
[18] And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in
the holy mount.
[19] We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn,
and the day star arise in your hearts: [20] Knowing this first, that no
prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
[21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of
God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Peter 2
[1] But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall
be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction.
[2] And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of
truth shall be evil spoken of.
[3] And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of
you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation
slumbereth not.
[4] For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell,
and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
[5] And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher
of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
[6] And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them
with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live
ungodly;
[7] And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
[8] (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed
his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) [9] The Lord
knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust
unto the day of judgment to be punished: [10] But chiefly them that walk after
the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are
they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
[11] Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing
accusation against them before the Lord. [12] But these, as natural brute
beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they
understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
[13] And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it
pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting
themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; [14] Having
eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable
souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
[15] Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way
of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; [16] But
was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad
the madness of the prophet. [17] These are wells without water, clouds that
are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
[18] For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through
the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped
from them who live in error. [19] While they promise them liberty, they
themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of
the same is he brought in bondage.
[20] For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
[21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
[22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is
turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in
the mire.
2 Peter 3
[1] This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir
up your pure minds by way of remembrance: [2] That ye may be mindful of the
words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of
us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: [3] Knowing this first, that there
shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
[4] And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell
asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
[5] For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
[6] Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
[7] But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in
store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly
men.
[8] But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the
Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not
slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come as a thief
in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and
the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that
are therein shall be burned up.
[11] Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, [12] Looking
for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being
on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
[13] Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new
earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. [14] Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye
look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace,
without spot, and blameless. [15] And account that the longsuffering of our
Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the
wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which
are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and
unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own
destruction.
[17] Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye
also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own
stedfastness.
[18] But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
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