Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹³ Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he was intimate with her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. ¹⁴ Then the women said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. ¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons,^(A) has given birth to him.” ¹⁶ Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and took care of him. ¹⁷ The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed.^[a] He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

¹¹ Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness ¹² as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming^[a] of the day of God.^(A) The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat. ¹³ But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth,^(B) where righteousness will dwell.^(C)

Conclusion

¹⁴ Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found at peace with Him without spot or blemish.^{(D) 15} Also, regard the patience of our Lord as an opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him.^{(E) 16} He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction,^(F) as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard,^(G) so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stability. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge^(H) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.^[b](I) Amen.^[c]