⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.^{(A) 9} The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,^(B) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient^(C) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.^(D)

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.^(E) The heavens will disappear with a roar;^(F) the elements will be destroyed by fire,^(G) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[a](H)

¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward^(I) to the day of God and speed its coming.^[b](J) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.^{(K) 13} But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,^(L) where righteousness dwells.

¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless^(M) and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience^(N) means salvation,^(O) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.^(P)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,^[a] the Son of God,^{[b](B) 2} as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

⁴ And so John the Baptist^(E) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance^(F) for the forgiveness of sins.^{(G) 5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,^(H) and he ate locusts^(I) and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.^{(J) 8} I baptize you with^[e] water, but he will baptize you with^[f] the Holy Spirit.”^(K)