Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Behold this second epistle I write to you, my dearly beloved, in which, I stir up by way of admonition your sincere mind:
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This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; in them I am trying to arouse your sincere intention by reminding you
2 That you may be mindful of those words which I told you before from the holy prophet and of your apostles, of the precepts of the Lord and Saviour.
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that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles.
3 Knowing this first: That in the last days there shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
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First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts
4 Saying: Where is his promise or his coming? For since the time that the fathers slept, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
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and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!"
5 For this they are wilfully ignorant of: That the heavens were before, and the earth out of water and through water, consisting by the word of God:
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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,
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.
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through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished.
7 But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of the ungodly men.
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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.
8 But of this one thing be not ignorant, my beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
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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.
9 The Lord delayeth not his promise, as some imagine, but dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance,
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The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief, in which the heavens shall pass away with great violence and the elements shall be melted with heat and the earth and the works which are in it shall be burnt up.
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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 dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
11 Seeing then that all these things are to be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in holy conversation and godliness?
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Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord, by which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with the burning heat?
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waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire?
13 But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promises, in which justice dwelleth.
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But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
14 Wherefore, dearly beloved, waiting for these things, be diligent that you may be found before him unspotted and blameless in peace.
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Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish;
15 And account the longsuffering of our Lord, salvation: as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you:
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and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.
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speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.
17 You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness.
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You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability.
18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and unto the day of eternity, Amen.
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But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.