Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

^6 [a]She set out with her two daughters-in-law to return from the land of Moab, for in Moab she had heard how the Lord had come to the aid of his people, giving them food to eat. ⁷ She and her two daughters-in-law set out from the place where they had been living and took the road leading back to the land of Judah. ⁸ Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Each of you should go back to your mother’s house. May the Lord show you as much kindness as you have shown to those who died and to me. ⁹ May the Lord grant each of you consolation in the home of a husband.” She then kissed them, and they wept aloud. ¹⁰ They said to her, “We will go with you back to your people.” ¹¹ But Naomi replied, “Go back, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Do I still have any sons in my womb who might become your husbands? ¹² Go back, my daughters. Go your way. I am too old even to have a husband. Even if I thought that there was still hope for me and I slept with a husband tonight and gave birth to sons, ¹³ would you wait for them to grow up? Would you stay unmarried for them? No, my daughters, for it greatly grieves me on your account that the hand of the Lord has been raised against me.”

¹⁴ Ruth Stays with Naomi. They cried out loud again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. ¹⁵ Then she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods. Follow your sister-in-law.” ¹⁶ But Ruth answered, “Please do not insist on my leaving you or forsaking you. Wherever you go I will go, and wherever you live I will live. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God.^{[b] 17} Wherever you die, I will die and be buried there. May the Lord do this to me and even worse if anything other than death separates me from you.” ¹⁸ When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.

Chapter 3

The Fact of Christ’s Return

The Day of the Lord Will Come.^{[a] 1} Beloved, this is now the second letter I have written to you. In both of them I have tried to stir up your memories for a clear understanding ² so that you might remember the words spoken in the past by the holy Prophets and by the apostles at the command of our Lord and Savior.

³ First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will appear who have led lives of indulgence. ⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ that was promised? Ever since our ancestors^[b] died, everything has remained just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

^5 [c]These people deliberately ignore the fact that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago, and that the earth stands out of water and in water. ⁶ Furthermore, by these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. ⁷ By the same word, the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and the destruction of sinners.

⁸ But do not ignore this one fact, beloved: with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. ⁹ The Lord does not delay in keeping his promise, as some think in terms of delay, but he is patient with you. It is not his wish that any should perish but rather that all should be brought to repentance.

¹⁰ However, the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a mighty roar,^[d] and the elements will be dissolved in flames, and the earth and all that it contains will be disclosed.