ז Zayin

²⁴ “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me^(A) has eternal life^(B) and will not be judged^(C) but has crossed over from death to life.^{(D) 25} Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come^(E) when the dead will hear^(F) the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life^(G) in himself. ²⁷ And he has given him authority to judge^(H) because he is the Son of Man.

²⁸ “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming^(I) when all who are in their graves will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.^{(J) 30} By myself I can do nothing;^(K) I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just,^(L) for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.^(M)

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,^(A) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders^(B) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ² I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets^(C) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.^(D)

³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days^(E) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.^{(F) 4} They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?^(G) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”^{(H) 5} But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word^(I) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.^{(J) 6} By these waters also the world of that time^(K) was deluged and destroyed.^{(L) 7} By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,^(M) being kept for the day of judgment^(N) and destruction of the ungodly.