The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
God’s way is perfect.
All the LORD’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
…don’t get involved in foolish,
ignorant arguments that only start fights.
A servant of the Lord must not quarrel
but must be kind to everyone,
be able to teach,
and be patient with difficult people.
…the message proclaimed by the prophets.
You must pay close attention to what they wrote,
for their words are like a lamp
shining in a dark place—
until the Day dawns,
and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.
…no prophecy in Scripture ever came from
the prophet’s own understanding…
those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit,
and they spoke from God.
All praise to God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is by his great mercy that we have been born again,
because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
Now we live with great expectation,
and we have a priceless inheritance—
an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you,
pure and undefiled,
beyond the reach of change and decay.
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise,
as some people think.
No, he is being patient for your sake.
He does not want anyone to be destroyed,
but wants everyone to repent.
But the day of the Lord will come
as unexpectedly as a thief.
Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise,
and the very elements themselves
will disappear in fire,
and the earth and everything on it
will be found to deserve judgment.
Give all your worries and cares to God,
for he cares about you.
Stay alert!
Watch out for your great enemy,
the devil.
He prowls around like a roaring lion,
looking for someone to devour.
Stand firm against him,
and be strong in your faith…
…you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.
And if someone asks about your hope as a believer,
always be ready to explain it.
But do this in a gentle and respectful way…
…be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.
…keep on doing what is right,
and trust your lives to the God who created you,
for he will never fail you.
Don’t repay evil for evil.
Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you.
Instead, pay them back with a blessing.
That is what God has called you to do,
and he will grant you his blessing.
…The earnest prayer of a righteous person
has great power
and produces wonderful results.
…if someone among you wanders away from the truth
and is brought back,
you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back
from wandering
will save that person from death…
