The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

15 David^[a] built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of God and ^(A)pitched a tent for it. ² Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry ^(B)the ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever. ^3 (C)And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord ^(D)to its place, which he had prepared for it. ⁴ And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and ^(E)the Levites: ⁵ of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 of his brothers; ⁶ of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 of his brothers; ⁷ of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 of his brothers; ⁸ of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 of his brothers; ⁹ of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 of his brothers; ¹⁰ of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 of his brothers. ¹¹ Then David summoned the priests ^(F)Zadok and ^(G)Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab, ¹² and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites. ^(H)Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, ^(I)to the place that I have prepared for it. ^13 (J)Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.” ¹⁴ So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders ^(K)with the poles, ^(L)as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.

¹⁶ David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on ^(M)musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. ¹⁷ So the Levites appointed ^(N)Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers ^(O)Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, ^(P)Ethan the son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸ and with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. ¹⁹ The singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals; ²⁰ Zechariah, ^(Q)Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to ^(R)Alamoth; ²¹ but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, ^(S)Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to ^(T)the Sheminith. ²² Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it. ²³ Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁴ Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, should ^(U)blow the trumpets before the ark of God. ^(V)Obed-edom and Jehiah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

^25 (W)So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of ^(X)Obed-edom with rejoicing. ²⁶ And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed ^(Y)seven bulls and seven rams. ²⁷ David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod. ²⁸ So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, ^(Z)trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on ^(AA)harps and lyres.

²⁹ And as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.

The Ark Placed in a Tent

16 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside ^(AB)the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. ² And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord ³ and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat,^[b] and a cake of raisins.

⁴ Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. ^5 (AC)Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, ⁶ and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. ⁷ Then on that day ^(AD)David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

David's Song of Thanks

^35 (BB)Say also:

^(BD)Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

Worship Before the Ark

³⁷ So David left Asaph and his brothers there ^(BE)before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark ^(BF)as each day required, ³⁸ and also ^(BG)Obed-edom and his^[d] sixty-eight brothers, while ^(BH)Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and ^(BI)Hosah were to be gatekeepers. ³⁹ And he left ^(BJ)Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord ^(BK)in the high place that was at Gibeon ⁴⁰ to offer burnt offerings to the Lord ^(BL)on the altar of burnt offering ^(BM)regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord that he commanded Israel. ⁴¹ With them were ^(BN)Heman and Jeduthun ^(BO)and the rest of those chosen and ^(BP)expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, ^(BQ)for his steadfast love endures forever. ⁴² Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments ^(BR)for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.

^43 (BS)Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.

Give the King Your Justice

Of ^(A)Solomon.

Greeting

1 Simeon^[a] Peter, a servant^[b] and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained ^(A)a faith of equal standing with ours ^(B)by the righteousness of our ^(C)God and Savior Jesus Christ:

^2 (D)May grace and peace be multiplied to you ^(E)in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Confirm Your Calling and Election

³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him ^(F)who called us to^[c] his own glory and excellence,^{[d] 4} by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become ^(G)partakers of the divine nature, ^(H)having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith ^(I)with virtue,^[e] and virtue ^(J)with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control ^(K)with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness ^(L)with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection ^(M)with love. ⁸ For if these qualities^[f] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or ^(N)unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he ^(O)is blind, having forgotten that he was ^(P)cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers,^[g] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and ^(Q)election, for if you practice these qualities ^(R)you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you ^(S)an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

¹² Therefore I intend ^(T)always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in ^(U)the truth that you have. ¹³ I think it right, as long as I am in this ^(V)body,^{[h] (W)}to stir you up by way of reminder, ^14 (X)since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, ^(Y)as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. ¹⁵ And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Christ's Glory and the Prophetic Word

¹⁶ For we did not follow ^(Z)cleverly devised ^(AA)myths when we made known to you ^(AB)the power and ^(AC)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but ^(AD)we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ^(AE)“This is my beloved Son,^[i] with whom I am well pleased,” ¹⁸ we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on ^(AF)the holy mountain. ¹⁹ And ^(AG)we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention ^(AH)as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until ^(AI)the day ^(AJ)dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, ²⁰ knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. ²¹ For ^(AK)no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God ^(AL)as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

False Prophets and Teachers

2 But ^(AM)false prophets also arose among the people, ^(AN)just as there will be false teachers among you, who will ^(AO)secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master ^(AP)who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth ^(AQ)will be blasphemed. ³ And ^(AR)in their greed they will exploit you ^(AS)with false words. ^(AT)Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

⁴ For if God did not spare ^(AU)angels when they sinned, but ^(AV)cast them into hell^[j] and committed them to chains^[k] of gloomy darkness ^(AW)to be kept until the judgment; ⁵ if he did not spare the ancient world, but ^(AX)preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought ^(AY)a flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶ if by ^(AZ)turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, ^(BA)making them an example of ^(BB)what is going to happen to the ungodly;^{[l] 7} and ^(BC)if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked ⁸ (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, ^(BD)he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); ⁹ then ^(BE)the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,^[m] and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, ¹⁰ and especially ^(BF)those who indulge^[n] in the lust of defiling passion and ^(BG)despise authority.

Bold and willful, they do not tremble ^(BH)as they blaspheme the glorious ones, ^11 (BI)whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. ^12 (BJ)But these, like irrational animals, ^(BK)creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, ¹³ suffering wrong as ^(BL)the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure ^(BM)to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions,^[o] while ^(BN)they feast with you. ¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery,^{[p] (BO)}insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts ^(BP)trained in greed. ^(BQ)Accursed children! ¹⁵ Forsaking the right way, ^(BR)they have gone astray. They have followed ^(BS)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(BT)gain from wrongdoing, ¹⁶ but was rebuked for his own transgression; ^(BU)a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

^17 (BV)These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. ^(BW)For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ For, ^(BX)speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely ^(BY)escaping from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them ^(BZ)freedom, ^(CA)but they themselves are slaves^[q] of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. ²⁰ For if, ^(CB)after they have escaped the defilements of the world ^(CC)through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, ^(CD)the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹ For ^(CE)it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from ^(CF)the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The ^(CG)dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

The Day of the Lord Will Come

3 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them ^(CH)I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, ^2 (CI)that you should remember the predictions of ^(CJ)the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, ³ knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come ^(CK)in the last days with scoffing, ^(CL)following their own sinful desires. ^4 (CM)They will say, “Where is the promise of ^(CN)his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth ^(CO)was formed out of water and through water ^(CP)by the word of God, ⁶ and that by means of these the world that then existed ^(CQ)was deluged with water and ^(CR)perished. ⁷ But by the same word ^(CS)the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and ^(CT)destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and ^(CU)a thousand years as one day. ^9 (CV)The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise ^(CW)as some count slowness, but ^(CX)is patient toward you,^{[r] (CY)}not wishing that any should perish, but ^(CZ)that all should reach repentance. ¹⁰ But ^(DA)the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then ^(DB)the heavens will pass away with a roar, and ^(DC)the heavenly bodies^[s] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.^[t]

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

Final Words

^14 (DI)Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him ^(DJ)without spot or ^(DK)blemish, and ^(DL)at peace. ¹⁵ And count ^(DM)the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as ^(DN)our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you ^(DO)according to the wisdom given him, ¹⁶ as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. ^(DP)There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, ^(DQ)as they do the other Scriptures. ¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, ^(DR)knowing this beforehand, ^(DS)take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. ¹⁸ But ^(DT)grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ^(DU)To him be the glory both now and to the day of ^(DV)eternity. Amen.