Suffering for Being a Christian

¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you^(A) to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

² But who can endure^(A) the day of his coming?^(B) Who can stand^(C) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire^(D) or a launderer’s soap.^{(E) 3} He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;^(F) he will purify^(G) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.^(H) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,^(I)

¹³ “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed^(A) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.^(B)

⁷ Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: