But for this very reason also, using therewith all diligence, in your faith have also virtue, in virtue knowledge,

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

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 an entrance will thus be richly afforded you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

But I account it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance,

Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

but I will use diligence, that after my departure ye should have also, at any time, in your power to call to mind these things.

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

But, above all, remember that no prophecy in Scripture will be found to have come from the prophet's own prompting;

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

And a great number will go with them in their evil ways, through whom the true way will have a bad name.

And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

and having destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, with a catastrophe he condemned them, having put them forth as an example to those about to be ungodly:

But when righteous Lot was sore distressed by the gross misconduct of immoral men He rescued him.

Then the Lord knoweth how to rescue, the godly out of trial; but to keep, the unrighteous unto a day of judgment to be punished; -

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

They have eyes full of adultery, constantly looking for sin, enticing and luring away unstable souls. Having hearts trained in greed, [they are] children of a curse.

they have gone wrong by leaving the straight road, by following the road of Balaam son of Bosor, who liked the profits of evil-doing ??16 but he got reproved for his malpractice: a dumb ass spoke with human voice and checked the prophet's infatuation.

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

{For by speaking high-sounding but empty words}, they entice with desires of the flesh [and] with licentiousness those who are scarcely escaping from those who live in error,

They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them.

For, if, having escaped from the defilements of the world by a personal knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but, by the same having again become entangled, they are defeated, the, last, state hath become, for them, worse than, the first;

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

But, above all, remember that, in the last days, men will come who make a mock at everything--men governed only by their own passions,

But in taking this view they put out of their minds the memory that in the old days there was a heaven, and an earth lifted out of the water and circled by water, by the word of God;

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 ungodly men.

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.