¹⁸ For they mouth empty, boastful words^(A) and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping^(B) from those who live in error.

¹⁵ to judge^(A) everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”^{[a](B) 16} These people are grumblers^(C) and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires;^(D) they boast^(E) about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

²⁰ If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing^(A) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ^(B) and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.^(C)

⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,^(A) so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,^(B) having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.^(C)

⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies^(A) and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.^{(B) 6} It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.^(C)

¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,^(A) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.^(B)

⁵ You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves^(A) in the day of slaughter.^[a](B)

⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God^(A) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.^(B)

The Beast out of the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth.^(A) It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.^(B)