²¹ So what fruit did you then gain from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death.^{(A) 22} But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the fruit you have leads to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.^(B)

⁵ But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.^(A)

⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died,^[a] all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!”^{(A) 5} They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water,^{(B) 6} through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished.^{(C) 7} But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless.^(D)

⁸ But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.^{(E) 9} The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you,^[b] not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.^{(F) 10} But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be destroyed with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.^[c](G)

¹⁴ You have said, “It is vain to serve God. What do we profit by keeping his command or by going about as mourners before the Lord of hosts?^(A)

¹⁷ You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “All who do evil are good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”^(A)