while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze!

When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear, I make its pillars secure." (Selah)

Wail, O city gate! Cry out, O city! Melt with fear, all you Philistines! For out of the north comes a cloud of smoke, and there are no stragglers in its ranks.

The earth is broken in pieces, the earth is ripped to shreds, the earth shakes violently.

All the stars in the sky will fade away, the sky will roll up like a scroll; all its stars will wither, like a leaf withers and falls from a vine or a fig withers and falls from a tree.

What

And the men were amazed and said, "What sort of person is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!"

in that our gospel did not come to you merely in words, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction (surely you recall the character we displayed when we came among you to help you).

For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was.

In all

Evil men draw their swords and prepare their bows, to bring down the oppressed and needy, and to slaughter those who are godly.

Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me. To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver."

For our reason for confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives and sincerity which are from God -- not by human wisdom but by the grace of God -- we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more toward you.

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that -- whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent -- I should hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

But our citizenship is in heaven -- and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Let no one look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in your speech, conduct, love, faithfulness, and purity.

Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you and I will never abandon you."

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings.

but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct,

and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.

Godliness

I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.

And we all agree, our religion contains amazing revelation: He was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness,

General references

Fire goes before him; on every side it burns up his enemies.

The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.

A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it.