¹⁹ Do not take revenge,^(A) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[a](B) says the Lord.

³ In their greed^(A) these teachers will exploit you^(B) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

³⁰ For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[a](A) and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”^[b](B)

The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

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)

⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.^(A)

⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out^(A) to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man^(B) comes,^(C) will he find faith on the earth?”