Love Each Other 22 Love each other with a warm love that comes from the heart. After all, you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. As a result you have a sincere love for each other. 23 You have been born again, not from a seed that can be destroyed, but through God's everlasting word that can't be destroyed. That's why Scripture says, 24 "All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like a flower of the field.

The grass dries up and the flower drops off, 25 but the word of the Lord lasts forever."

This word is the Good News that was told to you.

Live as God's Chosen People 2 1 So get rid of every kind of evil, every kind of deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander. 2 Desire God's pure word as newborn babies desire milk. Then you will grow in your salvation. 3 Certainly you have tasted that the Lord is good!

4 You are coming to Christ, the living stone who was rejected by humans but was chosen as precious by God. 5 You come to him as living stones, a spiritual house that is being built into a holy priesthood. So offer spiritual sacrifices that God accepts through Yeshua Christ. 6 That is why Scripture says, "I am laying a chosen and precious cornerstone in Zion, and the person who believes in him will never be ashamed."

7 This honor belongs to those who believe. But to those who don't believe: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, 8 a stone that people trip over, a large rock that people find offensive."

The people tripped over the word because they refused to believe it. Therefore, this is how they ended up.

9 However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not God's people, but now you are. Once you were not shown mercy, but now you have been shown mercy.

11 Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents in the world, I'm encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you. 12 Live decent lives among unbelievers. Then, although they ridicule you as if you were doing wrong while they are watching you do good things, they will praise God on the day he comes to help you.

Respect the Authority of Others 13 Place yourselves under the authority of human governments to please the Lord. Obey the emperor. He holds the highest position of authority. 14 Also obey governors. They are people the emperor has sent to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right. 16 Live as free people, but don't hide behind your freedom when you do evil. Instead, use your freedom to serve God. 17 Honor everyone. Love your brothers and sisters in the faith. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

18 Slaves, place yourselves under the authority of your owners and show them complete respect. Obey not only those owners who are good and kind, but also those who are unfair. 19 God is pleased if a person is aware of him while enduring the pains of unjust suffering. 20 What credit do you deserve if you endure a beating for doing something wrong? But if you endure suffering for doing something good, God is pleased with you.

21 God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps. 22 Christ never committed any sin. He never spoke deceitfully. 23 Christ never verbally abused those who verbally abused him. When he suffered, he didn't make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly. 24 Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God's approval. His wounds have healed you. 25 You were like lost sheep. Now you have come back to the shepherd and bishopa of your lives.

3 1 Wives, in a similar way, place yourselves under your husbands' authority. Some husbands may not obey God's word. Their wives could win these men for Christ by the way they live without saying anything. 2 Their husbands would see how pure and reverent their lives are.

3 Wives must not let their beauty be something external. Beauty doesn't come from hairstyles, gold jewelry, or clothes. 4 Rather, beauty is something internal that can't be destroyed. Beauty expresses itself in a gentle and quiet attitude which God considers precious. 5 After all, this is how holy women who had confidence in God expressed their beauty in the past. They placed themselves under their husbands' authority 6 as Sarah did. Sarah obeyed Abraham and spoke to him respectfully. You became Sarah's daughters by not letting anything make you afraid to do good.

7 Husbands, in a similar way, live with your wives with understanding since they are weaker than you are. Honor your wives as those who share God's lifegiving kindnessa so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.

Dedicate Your Lives to Jesus 8 Finally, everyone must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble. 9 Don't pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you, or ridicule those who ridicule you. Instead, bless them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.

10 "People who want to live a full life and enjoy good days must keep their tongues from saying evil things, and their lips from speaking deceitful things.

11 They must turn away from evil and do good.

They must seek peace and pursue it.

12 The Lord's eyes are on those who do what he approves.

His ears hear their prayer.

The Lord confronts those who do evil."

13 Who will harm you if you are devoted to doing what is good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what God approves, you are blessed. Don't be afraid of those who want to harm you. Don't get upset. 15 But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence in God when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect. 16 Keep your conscience clear. Then those who treat the good Christian life you live with contempt will feel ashamed that they have ridiculed you. 17 After all, if it is God's will, it's better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong.

18 This is true because Christ suffered for our sins once. He was an innocent person, but he suffered for guilty people so that he could bring you to God. His body was put to death, but he was brought to life through his spirit. 19 In it he also went to proclaim his victory to the spirits kept in prison. 20 They are like those who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah when God waited patiently while Noah built the ship. In this ship a few people-eight in all-were saved by water. 21 Baptism, which is like that water, now saves you. Baptism doesn't save by removing dirt from the body. Rather, baptism is a request to God for a clear conscience. It saves you through Yeshua Christ, who came back from death to life. 22 Christ has gone to heaven where he has the highest position that God gives. Angels, rulers, and powers have been placed under his authority.

4 1 Since Christ has suffered physically, take the same attitude that he had. (A person who has suffered physically no longer sins.) 2 That way you won't be guided by sinful human desires as you live the rest of your lives on earth. Instead, you will be guided by what God wants you to do. 3 You spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. You were promiscuous, had sinful desires, got drunk, went to wild parties, and took part in the forbidden worship of false gods. 4 Unbelievers insult you now because they are surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of wild living. 5 They will give an account to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 After all, the Good News was told to people like that, although they are now dead. It was told to them so that they could be judged like humans in their earthly lives and live like God in their spiritual lives.

7 The end of everything is near. Therefore, practice self-control, and keep your minds clear so that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other warmly, because love covers many sins. 9 Welcome each other as guests without complaining. 10 Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you to serve others. 11 Whoever speaks must speak God's words. Whoever serves must serve with the strength God supplies so that in every way God receives glory through Yeshua Christ. Glory and power belong to Yeshua Christ forever and ever! Amen.

Share Christ's Sufferings 12 Dear friends, don't be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to test you. Don't feel as though something strange is happening to you, 13 but be happy as you share Christ's sufferings. Then you will also be full of joy when he appears again in his glory. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory-the Spirit of God-is resting on you.

15 If you suffer, you shouldn't suffer for being a murderer, thief, criminal, or troublemaker. 16 If you suffer for being a Christian, don't feel ashamed, but praise God for being called that name. 17 The time has come for the judgment to begin, and it will begin with God's family. If it starts with us, what will be the end for those who refuse to obey the Good News of God? 18 If it's hard for the person who has God's approval to be saved, what will happen to the godless sinner? 19 Those who suffer because that is God's will for them must entrust themselves to a faithful creator and continue to do what is good.

Instructions for Spiritual Leaders 5 1 I appeal to your spiritual leaders.a I make this appeal as a spiritual leader who also witnessed Christ's sufferings and will share in the glory that will be revealed. 2 Be shepherds over the flock God has entrusted to you. Watch over it as God does: Don't do this because you have to, but because you want to. Don't do it out of greed, but out of a desire to serve. 3 Don't be rulers over the people entrusted to you, but be examples for the flock to follow. 4 Then, when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Instructions for Christians 5 Young people, in a similar way, place yourselves under the authority of spiritual leaders.

Furthermore, all of you must serve each other with humility, because God opposes the arrogant but favors the humble. 6 Be humbled by God's power so that when the right time comes he will honor you.

7 Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you. 8 Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour. 9 Be firm in the faith and resist him, knowing that other believers throughout the world are going through the same kind of suffering. 10 God, who shows you his kindnessb and who has called you through Christ Yeshua to his eternal glory, will restore you, strengthen you, make you strong, and support you as you suffer for a little while. 11 Power belongs to him forever. Amen.

Farewell 12 I've written this short letter to you and I'm sending it by Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother. I've written to encourage you and to testify that this is God's genuine good will.a Remain firmly established in it!

13 Your sister church in Babylon, chosen by God, and my son Mark send you greetings. 14 Greet each other with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

a 1:2 Or "grace."

b 1:10 Or "grace."

a 2:25 English equivalent difficult.

a 3:7 Or "grace."

a 5:1 Or "pastors," or "elders."

b 5:10 Or "grace."

a 5:12 Or "grace."

Introduction to 2 PETER.

Not long before his execution, Paul wrote a farewell letter to Timothy. At about the same time, Peter-probably in prison-wrote this farewell letter to Christians everywhere. The Christian church was changing. People who were personally acquainted with Jesus were dying. Churches were now scattered all over the Roman Empire, and traveling teachers were spreading all kinds of bizarre religious teachings. Peter knew he would soon be killed. He felt he had to speak up.

First, Peter offers his credentials. Unlike the false teachers, the apostles did not make up myths to explain their faith. Peter, James, and John personally saw Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah on what became known as the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-6). They heard God's voice proclaiming that Jesus was his beloved Son. Their experience confirmed not only their faith in Jesus, but also their belief in the Old Testament Scriptures.

According to the Scriptures, Peter goes on, God expects his people to live holy lives. Even angels are punished for sinning. The ancient world was destroyed by a flood. Sodom and Gomorrah burned down. So how can these false teachers claim that God will not punish sexual immorality? How can they claim to be Christians and still participate in wild parties? It's obvious why they do it-people are paying them well to hear their lies.

And what about those who say we Christians are deluded-that nothing has changed or will change, and that Jesus is not planning to return anytime soon? These false teachers forget that destruction can be sudden, without warning. The Lord waits only because he wants everybody to come to him and have their lives changed. He will come back, though, and when he does, the world as we know it will end. Fortunately, we can "look forward to . . . a new heaven and a new earth," one where God's will is done (2 Peter 3:13).

God's patience is our opportunity, Peter says. "God's divine power has given us everything we need for life and for godliness" (1:3). And so we must live with faith, integrity, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, Christian affection, and love (1:5-7). Those who have these qualities will never fall away. "Dear friends," Peter concludes, "you already know these things" (3:17). So be careful not to be deceived by unscrupulous false teachers, but continue to grow in Christ.

Key Names of God in 2 Peter Spirit Son of God Savior Father Christ Lord 2 PETER.

1 2 3.

Greeting 1 1 From Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Yeshua Christ. To those who have obtained a faith that is as valuable as ours, a faith based on the approval that comes from our God and Savior, Yeshua Christ.

2 May good willa and peace fill your lives through your knowledge about Yeshua, our God and Lord!

God's Power Gives Us the Ability to Live Godly Lives 3 God's divine power has given us everything we need for life and for godliness. This power was given to us through knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and integrity. 4 Through his glory and integrity he has given us his promises that are of the highest value. Through these promises you will share in the divine nature because you have escaped the corruption that sinful desires cause in the world.

5 Because of this, make every effort to add integrity to your faith; and to integrity add knowledge; 6 to knowledge add self-control; to self-control add endurance; to endurance add godliness; 7 to godliness add Christian affection; and to Christian affection add love. 8 If you have these qualities and they are increasing, it demonstrates that your knowledge about our Lord Yeshua Christ is living and productive. 9 If these qualities aren't present in your life, you're shortsighted and have forgotten that you were cleansed from your past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, use more effort to make God's calling and choosing of you secure.

If you keep doing this, you will never fall away. 11 Then you will also be given the wealth of entering into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Yeshua Christ.

12 Therefore, I will always remind you about these qualities, although you already know about them and are well-grounded in the truth that you now have. 13 As long as I'm still alive, I think it's right to refresh your memory. 14 I know that I will die soon. Our Lord Yeshua Christ has made that clear to me. 15 So I will make every effort to see that you remember these things after I die.

Pay Attention to God's Words 16 When we apostles told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Yeshua Christ, we didn't base our message on clever myths that we made up. Rather, we witnessed his majesty with our own eyes. 17 For example, we were eyewitnesses when he received honor and glory from God the Father and when the voice of our majestic God spoke these words to him: "This is my Son, whom I love and in whom I delight." 18 We heard that voice speak to him from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 So we regard the words of the prophets as confirmed beyond all doubt. You're doing well by paying attention to their words. Continue to pay attention as you would to a light that shines in a dark place as you wait for day to come and the morning star to rise in your hearts. 20 First, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation. 21 No prophecy ever originated from humans. Instead, it was given by the Holy Spirit as humans spoke under God's direction.

Warnings about False Teachers 2 1 False prophets were among God's people in the past, as false teachers will be among you. They will secretly bring in their own destructive teachings. They will deny the Lord, who has bought them, and they will bring themselves swift destruction. 2 Many people will follow them in their sexual freedom and will cause others to dishonor the way of truth. 3 In their greed they will use good-sounding arguments to exploit you. The verdict against them from long ago is still in force, and their destruction is not asleep.

4 God didn't spare angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, where he has secured them with chains of darkness and is holding them for judgment.

5 God didn't spare the ancient world either. He brought the flood on the world of ungodly people, but he protected Noah and seven other people. Noah was his messenger who told people about the kind of life that has God's approval.

6 God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed them by burning them to ashes. He made those cities an example to ungodly people of what is going to happen to them. 7 Yet, God rescued Lot, a man who had his approval. Lot was distressed by the lifestyle of people who had no principles and lived in sexual freedom. 8 Although he was a man who had God's approval, he lived among the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Each day was like torture to him as he saw and heard the immoral things that people did.

9 Since the Lord did all this, he knows how to rescue godly people when they are tested. He also knows how to hold immoral people for punishment on the day of judgment. 10 This is especially true of those who follow their corrupt nature along the path of impure desires and who despise the Lord's authority.

These false teachers are bold and arrogant. They aren't afraid to insult the Lord's glory. 11 Angels, who have more strength and power than these teachers, don't bring an insulting judgment against them from the Lord. 12 These false teachers insult what they don't understand. They are like animals, which are creatures of instinct that are born to be caught and killed. So they will be destroyed like animals 13 and lose what their wrongdoing earned them.

These false teachers are stains and blemishes. They take pleasure in holding wild parties in broad daylight. They especially enjoy deceiving you while they eat with you. 14 They're always looking for an adulterous woman. They can't stop looking for sin as they seduce people who aren't sure of what they believe. Their minds are focused on their greed. They are cursed.

15 These false teachers have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Balaam, son of Beor. Balaam loved what his wrongdoing earned him.

16 But he was convicted for his evil. A donkey, which normally can't talk, spoke with a human voice and wouldn't allow the prophet to continue his insanity.

17 These false teachers are dried-up springs. They are a mist blown around by a storm. Gloomy darkness has been kept for them. 18 They arrogantly use nonsense to seduce people by appealing to their sexual desires, especially to sexual freedom. They seduce people who have just escaped from those who live in error. 19 They promise these people freedom, but they themselves are slaves to corruption. A person is a slave to whatever he gives in to.

20 People can know our Lord and Savior Yeshua Christ and escape the world's filth. But if they get involved in this filth again and give in to it, they are worse off than they were before. 21 It would have been better for them never to have known the way of life that God approves of than to know it and turn their backs on the holy life God told them to live. 22 These proverbs have come true for them: "A dog goes back to its vomit," and "A sow that has been washed goes back to roll around in the mud."

Be Ready for the Day of the Lord 3 1 Dear friends, this is the second letter I'm writing to you. In both letters I'm trying to refresh your memory. 2 I want you to remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and what the Lord and Savior commanded you through your apostles.

3 First, you must understand this: In the last days people who follow their own desires will appear. These disrespectful people will ridicule God's promise 4 by saying, "What's happened to his promise to return? Ever since our ancestors died, everything continues as it did from the beginning of the world."

5 They are deliberately ignoring one fact: Because of God's word, heaven and earth existed a long time ago. The earth appeared out of water and was kept alive by water. 6 Water also flooded and destroyed that world. 7 By God's word, the present heaven and earth are designated to be burned. They are being kept until the day ungodly people will be judged and destroyed.

8 Dear friends, don't ignore this fact: One day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord isn't slow to do what he promised, as some people think. Rather, he is patient for your sake. He doesn't want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way they think and act.

10 The day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day heaven will pass away with a roaring sound. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and be destroyed. The earth and everything that people have done on it will be exposed.a 11 All these things will be destroyed in this way. So think of the kind of holy and godly lives you must live 12 as you look forward to the day of God and eagerly wait for it to come. When that day comes, heaven will be on fire and will be destroyed. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and melt. 13 But we look forward to what God has promised-a new heaven and a new earth-a place where everything that has God's approval lives.

14 Therefore, dear friends, with this to look forward to, make every effort to have him find you at peace, without spiritual stains or blemishes. 15 Think of our Lord's patience as an opportunity for us to be saved. This is what our dear brother Paul wrote to you about, using the wisdom God gave him. 16 He talks about this subject in all his letters. Some things in his letters are hard to understand. Ignorant people and people who aren't sure of what they believe distort what Paul says in his letters the same way they distort the rest of the Scriptures. These people will be destroyed.

17 Dear friends, you already know these things. So be on your guard not to be carried away by the deception of people who have no principles. Then you won't fall from your firm position. 18 But grow in the good willa and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Yeshua Christ. Glory belongs to him now and for that eternal day! Amen.

a 1:2 Or "grace."

a 3:10 Some manuscripts and translations read "will be burned up."

a 3:18 Or "grace."

Introduction to 1 JOHN.

No one knows who the author of 1 John is. Nor do they know exactly how the three short letters we know as 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John are related to each other. However, their themes, especially the emphasis on truth and love, are similar to those of the fourth Gospel, and a long-standing tradition holds that the beloved apostle John wrote all four books in order to show what it means to live in Christ's love and God's truth.

Unlike the two shorter letters, 1 John is more of an essay than a letter. Like James, John points out that high ideals are worthless unless we live by them. Like Peter and Paul, he recognizes love as the most important Christian virtue. For John, love is not just an emotion. It is a disciplined way of life. False teachers may deny that Jesus came as a human being. They may say that a Christian's behavior isn't important, or they may separate themselves from the rest of the believers. Such teachers may claim to be Christians, but they aren't God's children and they don't have God's Spirit.

Read 1 John a sentence or paragraph at a time and let its wisdom sink in. Notice the contrasts the author evokes: light and darkness, truth and lies, life and death, obedience and sin, God and the devil, the Spirit and the world, love and fear. See how often he writes about love-our love for God and our neighbors and God's love for us. "We love because God loved us first" (4:19). Feel the peace that comes from being loved by a God who sent his Son so that we can have eternal life.

Key Names of God in 1 John Word Spirit Son of God Savior Father Messiah, Christ 1 JOHN.

1 2 3 4 5.

John's Reason for Writing 1 1 The Word of life existed from the beginning. We have heard it. We have seen it. We observed and touched it. 2 This life was revealed to us. We have seen it, and we testify about it. We are reporting to you about this eternal life that was in the presence of the Father and was revealed to us. 3 This is the life we have seen and heard. We are reporting about it to you also so that you, too, can have a relationship with us. Our relationship is with the Father and with his Son Yeshua Christ. 4 We are writing this so that we can be completely filled with joy.

Through Jesus We Have a Relationship with God 5 This is the message we heard from Christ and are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn't any darkness in him. 6 If we say, "We have a relationship with God" and yet live in the dark, we're lying. We aren't being truthful.

7 But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Yeshua cleanses us from every sin. 8 If we say, "We aren't sinful" we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we've done wrong. 10 If we say, "We have never sinned," we turn God into a liar and his Word is not in us.

2 1 My dear children, I'm writing this to you so that you will not sin. Yet, if anyone does sin, we have Yeshua Christ, who has God's full approval. He speaks on our behalf when we come into the presence of the Father. 2 He is the payment for our sins, and not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Those Who Know Christ Obey His Commandments 3 We are sure that we know Christ if we obey his commandments. 4 The person who says, "I know him," but doesn't obey his commandments is a liar. The truth isn't in that person. 5 But whoever obeys what Christ says is the kind of person in whom God's love is perfected. That's how we know we are in Christ. 6 Those who say that they live in him must live the same way he lived.

7 Dear friends, it's not as though I'm writing to give you a new commandment. Rather, I'm giving you an old commandment that you've had from the beginning. It's the old commandment you've already heard. 8 On the other hand, I'm writing to give you a new commandment. It's a truth that exists in Christ and in you: The darkness is fading, and the true light is already shining.

9 Those who say that they are in the light but hate other believers are still in the dark. 10 Those who love other believers live in the light. Nothing will destroy the faith of those who live in the light. 11 Those who hate other believers are in the dark and live in the dark. They don't know where they're going, because they can't see in the dark.