Therefore, Brothers, do your best to put God's Call and Selection of you beyond all doubt; for, if you do this, you will never fall.

But I think it my duty, as long as I live in this 'tent,' to rouse you by awakening memories of the past;

for I know that the time for this 'tent' of mine to be put away is soon coming, as our Lord Jesus Christ himself assured me.

For we were not following cleverly devised stories when we told you of the Coming in power of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eye-witnesses of his majesty.

But first be assured of this:--There is no prophetic teaching found in Scripture that can be interpreted by man's unaided reason;

for no prophetic teaching ever came in the old days at the mere wish of man, but men, moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke direct from God.

But there were false prophets also in the nation, just as there will be false teachers among you, men who will secretly introduce ruinous divisions, disowning even the Lord who bought them, and bringing speedy Ruin upon themselves.

In their covetousness they will try to make you a source of profit by their fabrications; but for a long time past their Sentence has not been standing idle, nor their Ruin slumbering.

Remember, God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them down to Tartarus, and committed them to caverns of darkness, to be kept under guard for judgment.

but he rescued righteous Lot, whose heart was vexed by the wanton licentiousness of his neighbors;

but was rebuked for his offense. A dumb animal spoke with the voice of a man, and checked the prophet's madness.

But the present heavens and earth, by the same fiat, have been reserved for fire, and are being kept for the day of the judgment and destruction of the godless.

But you, dear friends, must never shut your eyes to the fact that, to the Lord, one day is the same as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise, as some count slowness; but he is forbearing with you, as it is not his will that any of you should perish, but that all should be brought to repentance.

but we look for 'new heavens and a new earth,' where righteousness shall have its home, in fulfillment of the promise of God.