God’s People Are Comforted^(A)

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;

Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary

²⁶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin ^(A)betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And having come in, the angel said to her, ^(B)“Rejoice, highly favored one, ^(C)the Lord is with you; ^[a]blessed are you among women!”

²⁹ But ^[b]when she saw him, ^(D)she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found ^(E)favor with God. ^31 (F)And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and ^(G)shall call His name Jesus. ³² He will be great, ^(H)and will be called the Son of the Highest; and ^(I)the Lord God will give Him the ^(J)throne of His ^(K)father David. ^33 (L)And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I ^[c]do not know a man?”

³⁵ And the angel answered and said to her, ^(M)“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called ^(N)the Son of God. ³⁶ Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. ³⁷ For ^(O)with God nothing will be impossible.”

³⁸ Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, ^(P)to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰ and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was ^(Q)filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, ^(R)“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. ^45 (S)Blessed is she who ^[d]believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”