A Call to Endurance (2 Timothy 2:1–13)
2 WBS Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down 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 WBS For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 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 WBS Ye have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin. BSB BSB: In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
5 WBS And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh to you as to children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art 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 WBS For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. BSB BSB: For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”
7 WBS If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? BSB BSB: Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
8 WBS But if ye are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. BSB BSB: If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
9 WBS Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us , and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and 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 WBS For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 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 WBS Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them who are exercised by 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 WBS Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; BSB BSB: Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
13 WBS And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather 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 WBS Follow peace with all men , and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: BSB BSB: Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
15 WBS Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you , and by it many 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 WBS Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birth-right. 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 WBS For ye know that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully 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 WBS For ye are not come to the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor to blackness, and to darkness, and tempest, 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 WBS And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard, entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: BSB BSB: to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken.
20 WBS (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: BSB BSB: For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
21 WBS And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and tremble:) BSB BSB: The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
22 WBS But ye are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company 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 WBS To the general assembly and church of the first-born, who are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men 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 WBS And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that 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 WBS See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape , if we turn away from him that speaketh 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 WBS Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 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 WBS And this word , Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken 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 WBS Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. 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 WBS 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.