New Testament Lesson

2 Pet. 3:11-18 (NRSV)

11 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, 12waiting 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? 13But, in accordance with his
promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. 14Therefore, beloved,
while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15and
regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the
wisdom given him, 16speaking 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.
17You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of
the lawless and lose your own stability. 18But 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 Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.