A Call to Endurance (2 Timothy 2:1–13)
2 CPDV Let us gaze upon Jesus, as the Author and the completion of our faith, who, having joy laid out before him, endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and who now sits at the right hand of the throne of God. BSB BSB: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 CPDV So then, meditate upon him who endured such adversity from sinners against himself, so that you may not become weary, failing in your souls. BSB BSB: Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God Disciplines His Sons 4 CPDV For you have not yet resisted unto blood, while striving against sin. BSB BSB: In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
5 CPDV And you have forgotten the consolation which speaks to you like sons, saying: “My son, do not be willing to neglect the discipline of the Lord. Neither should you become weary, while being rebuked by him.” BSB BSB: And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
6 CPDV For whomever the Lord loves, he chastises. And every son whom he accepts, he scourges. BSB BSB: For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”
7 CPDV Persevere in discipline. God presents you to himself as sons. But what son is there, whom his father does not correct? BSB BSB: Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
8 CPDV But if you are without that discipline in which all have become sharers, then you are of adultery, and you are not sons. BSB BSB: If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
9 CPDV Then, too, we have certainly had the fathers of our flesh as instructors, and we reverenced them. Should we not obey the Father of spirits all the more, and so live? BSB BSB: Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?
10 CPDV And indeed, for a few days and according to their own wishes, they instructed us. But he does so to our benefit, so that we may receive his sanctification. BSB BSB: Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
11 CPDV Now every discipline, in the present time, does not seem a gladness, of course, but a grief. But afterwards, it will repay a most peaceful fruit of justice to those who become trained in it. BSB BSB: No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.
12 CPDV Because of this, lift up your lazy hands and your lax knees, BSB BSB: Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
13 CPDV and straighten the path of your feet, so that no one, being lame, may wander astray, but instead may be healed. BSB BSB: Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
A Call to Holiness (1 Peter 1:13–21)
14 CPDV Pursue peace with everyone. Pursue sanctity, without which no one shall see God. BSB BSB: Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
15 CPDV Be contemplative, lest anyone lack the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up and impede you, and by it, many might be defiled, BSB BSB: See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
16 CPDV lest any fornicator or worldly person be like Esau, who, for the sake of one meal, sold his birthright. BSB BSB: See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.
17 CPDV For you know that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the benediction, he was rejected. For he found no place for repentance, even though he had sought it with tears. BSB BSB: For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.
An Unshakable Kingdom (Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:22–33)
18 CPDV But you have not drawn near to a tangible mountain, or a burning fire, or a whirlwind, or a mist, or a storm, BSB BSB: For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;
19 CPDV or the sound of a trumpet, or a voice of words. Those who had experienced these things excused themselves, lest the Word be spoken to them. BSB BSB: to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken.
20 CPDV For they could not bear what was said, and so, if even a beast would have touched the mountain, it would have been stoned. BSB BSB: For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
21 CPDV And what was seen was so terrible that even Moses said: “I am terrified, and so, I tremble.” BSB BSB: The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
22 CPDV But you have drawn near to mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of Angels, BSB BSB: Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels
23 CPDV and to the Church of the first-born, those who have been inscribed in the heavens, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect, BSB BSB: in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
24 CPDV and to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Testament, and to a sprinkling of blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. BSB BSB: to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 CPDV Be careful not to reject the One who is speaking. For if those who rejected him who was speaking upon the earth were not able to escape, so much more we who might turn away from the One who is speaking to us from heaven. BSB BSB: See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?
26 CPDV Then, his voice moved the earth. But now, he makes a promise, saying: “There is still one more time, and then I will move, not only the earth, but also heaven itself.” BSB BSB: At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”
27 CPDV And so, in saying, “There is still one more time,” he declares the transfer of the moveable things of creation, so that those things which are immoveable may remain. BSB BSB: The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.
28 CPDV Thus, in receiving an immoveable kingdom, we have grace. So, through grace, let us be of service, by pleasing God with fear and reverence. BSB BSB: Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
29 CPDV For our God is a consuming fire. BSB BSB: “For our God is a consuming fire.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.