²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers: ^(A)the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,

¹⁷ And ^(A)the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

¹¹ Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you ^(A)to wake from sleep. ^(B)For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. ^12 (C)The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us ^(D)cast off ^(E)the works of darkness and ^(F)put on the armor of light.

³¹ and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For ^(A)the present form of this world is passing away.

Boasting About Tomorrow

¹³ Come now, you who say, ^(A)“Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— ¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For ^(B)you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, ^(C)“If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. ^(D)All such boasting is evil.

¹³ Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear ^(A)the reproach he endured. ¹⁴ For ^(B)here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

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.

^7 (A)The end of all things is at hand; therefore ^(B)be self-controlled and sober-minded ^(C)for the sake of your prayers.

¹³ The end of the matter; all has been heard. ^(A)Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.^{[a] 14} For ^(B)God will bring every deed into judgment, with^[b] every secret thing, whether good or evil.