Christ Our Cornerstone

¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been ^(A)built ^(B)on the foundation of the ^(C)apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being ^(D)the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into ^(E)a holy temple in the Lord, ^22 (F)in whom you also are being built together for a ^(G)dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Paul’s Conduct^(A)

2 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. ² But ^[a]even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at ^(B)Philippi, as you know, we were ^(C)bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. ^3 (D)For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.

⁴ But as ^(E)we have been approved by God ^(F)to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, ^(G)not as pleasing men, but God ^(H)who tests our hearts. ⁵ For ^(I)neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a ^[b]cloak for covetousness—^(J)God is witness. ^6 (K)Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when ^(L)we might have ^(M)made demands ^(N)as apostles of Christ. ⁷ But ^(O)we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. ⁸ So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased ^(P)to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also ^(Q)our own lives, because you had become dear to us. ⁹ For you remember, brethren, our ^(R)labor and toil; for laboring night and day, ^(S)that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

^10 (T)You are witnesses, and God also, ^(U)how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; ¹¹ as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and ^[c]charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, ^12 (V)that you would walk worthy of God ^(W)who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Their Conversion

¹³ For this reason we also thank God ^(X)without ceasing, because when you ^(Y)received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it ^(Z)not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively ^(AA)works in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brethren, became imitators ^(AB)of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For ^(AC)you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, ^15 (AD)who killed both the Lord Jesus and ^(AE)their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God ^(AF)and are ^[d]contrary to all men, ^16 (AG)forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always ^(AH)to fill up the measure of their sins; ^(AI)but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

Longing to See Them

¹⁷ But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time ^(AJ)in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. ¹⁸ Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but ^(AK)Satan hindered us. ¹⁹ For ^(AL)what is our hope, or joy, or ^(AM)crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the ^(AN)presence of our Lord Jesus Christ ^(AO)at His coming? ²⁰ For you are our glory and joy.

God’s Promise Is Not Slack^(A)

3 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which ^(B)I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), ² that you may be mindful of the words ^(C)which were spoken before by the holy prophets, ^(D)and of the commandment of ^[a]us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, ³ knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, ^(E)walking according to their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of ^(F)creation.” ⁵ For this they willfully forget: that ^(G)by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth ^(H)standing out of water and in the water, ^6 (I)by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. ⁷ But ^(J)the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for ^(K)fire until the day of judgment and ^[b]perdition of ungodly men.

⁸ But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and ^(L)a thousand years as one day. ^9 (M)The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but ^(N)is longsuffering toward ^[c]us, ^(O)not willing that any should perish but ^(P)that all should come to repentance.

The Day of the Lord

¹⁰ But ^(Q)the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which ^(R)the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be ^[d]burned up. ¹¹ Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be ^(S)in holy conduct and godliness, ^12 (T)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will ^(U)be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will ^(V)melt with fervent heat? ¹³ Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for ^(W)new heavens and a ^(X)new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Be Steadfast

¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent ^(Y)to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ¹⁵ and consider that ^(Z)the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his ^(AA)epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the ^(AB)rest of the Scriptures.

¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, ^(AC)since you know this beforehand, ^(AD)beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ^18 (AE)but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

^(AF)To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.