A Living Hope

³ Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.^(A) According to His great mercy,^(B) He has given us a new birth^(C) into a living hope^(D) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead^{(E) 4} and into an inheritance that is imperishable,^(F) uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven^(G) for you. ⁵ You are being protected by God’s power^(H) through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.^{(I) 6} You rejoice in this,^[a] though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials^{(J) 7} so that the genuineness of your faith^(K)—more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire^(L)—may result^(M) in^[b] praise, glory, and honor^(N) at the revelation of Jesus Christ.^{(O) 8} You love Him,^(P) though you have not seen^(Q) Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice^(R) with inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ because you are receiving the goal of your^[c] faith, the salvation of your souls.^[d]

⁸ Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.^{(A) 9} The Lord does not delay His promise,^(B) as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any^(C) to perish^(D) but all to come to repentance.^(E)

¹⁰ But the Day of the Lord^(F) will come like a thief;^[a](G) on that day the heavens will pass away^(H) with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved,^(I) and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.^{[b] 11} Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness ¹² as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming^[c] of the day of God.^(J) The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat. ¹³ But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth,^(K) where righteousness will dwell.^(L)

A Warning about the World

¹⁵ Do not love the world^(A) or the things that belong to^[a] the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For everything that belongs to^[b] the world—the lust of the flesh,^(B) the lust of the eyes,^(C) and the pride^(D) in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world with its lust is passing away,^(E) but the one who does God’s will^(F) remains forever.^(G)

The Last Hour

¹⁸ Children, it is the last hour.^(H) And as you have heard, “Antichrist^(I) is coming,” even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.