Book of Common Prayer
Beloved, Remember That People Will Come Mocking Christ’s Future Coming
3 Beloved, I am now writing this second letter to you, in which letters I am arousing your pure mind with a reminder 2 to remember the words having been spoken-beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior from your apostles, 3 knowing this first— that mockers will come with mocking in the last days, proceeding in accordance with their own desires, 4 and saying “Where is the promise[a] of His coming? For from which day the fathers[b] fell-asleep, everything is continuing in-this-manner[c] from the beginning of creation”.
But God Has Destroyed The Ungodly Before, And He Will Do So Again
5 For this escapes-notice-of those who are willing[d]— that by the word of God there were heavens from-long-ago, and an earth having existence out of water and by water, 6 through which[e] the world at that time was destroyed[f], having been flooded with water. 7 And by the same word the present heavens and earth have been stored-up for fire, being reserved for the day of the judgment and destruction of ungodly people.
He Is Being Patient Now, But The Day of Destruction Will Come Like a Thief
8 But do not let this one thing be escaping your notice, beloved— that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. 9 The Lord is not being slow about[g] the promise as some regard slowness, but He is being patient toward you, not wishing[h] any to perish, but all to make-room[i] for repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief— during which the heavens will pass-away with-a-roar, and the elements will be destroyed while burning, and the earth and the works in it will be found[j].
The Priests Ask, By What Authority Do You Do This?
23 And He having come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came-to Him while He was teaching, saying, “By what-kind-of [a] authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” 24 And having responded, Jesus said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I also will tell you by what-kind-of authority I am doing these things— 25 From where was the baptism of John, from heaven or from humans?” And the ones were discussing among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven’, He will say to us, ‘Then for what reason did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From humans’, we fear the crowd. For they all are holding John as a prophet”. 27 And having responded to Jesus, they said, “We do not know”. He also said to them, “Nor am I telling you by what-kind-of authority I am doing these things.
One Son Feigns Obedience, One Disobeys But Repents. Which Did The Father’s Will?
28 “But what seems right to you?— A man had two children. And having gone to the first he said, ‘Child, go, work today in the vineyard’. 29 And the one, having responded, said, ‘I will not’. But having regretted[b] it later, he went. 30 And having gone to the other, he spoke similarly. And the one, having responded, said, ‘I will, sir’, and he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of the father?” They say, “The first”.
You Priests Feign Obedience To God, But Did Not Believe John, God’s Messenger
Jesus says to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going-ahead-of you into the kingdom of God. 32 For John came to you in[c] the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And you, having seen it, did not-even regret it later, that you might believe him.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing