⁵¹ Behold! I tell you a mystery. ^(A)We shall not all sleep, ^(B)but we shall all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For ^(C)the trumpet will sound, and ^(D)the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Comfort for God's People

The Word of God Stands Forever

The Greatness of God

⁸ But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and ^(A)a thousand years as one day. ^9 (B)The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise ^(C)as some count slowness, but ^(D)is patient toward you,^{[a] (E)}not wishing that any should perish, but ^(F)that all should reach repentance. ¹⁰ But ^(G)the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then ^(H)the heavens will pass away with a roar, and ^(I)the heavenly bodies^[b] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.^[c]

¹¹ Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, ^(J)what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, ^12 (K)waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and ^(L)the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! ¹³ But according to his promise we are waiting for ^(M)new heavens and a new earth ^(N)in which righteousness dwells.

Final Words

^14 (O)Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him ^(P)without spot or ^(Q)blemish, and ^(R)at peace. ¹⁵ And count ^(S)the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as ^(T)our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you ^(U)according to the wisdom given him,

Revive Us Again

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of ^(A)the Sons of Korah.

Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month the angel ^(A)Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named ^(B)Nazareth, ^27 (C)to a virgin betrothed^[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, ^(D)of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, ^(E)O favored one, ^(F)the Lord is with you!”^{[b] 29} But ^(G)she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for ^(H)you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, ^(I)you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and ^(J)you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of ^(K)the Most High. And the Lord God ^(L)will give to him the throne of ^(M)his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob ^(N)forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”^[c]

³⁵ And the angel answered her, ^(O)“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of ^(P)the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born^[d] will be called ^(Q)holy—^(R)the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her ^(S)who was called barren. ³⁷ For ^(T)nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant^[e] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And ^(U)the angel departed from her.