On day 354, 2 Peter 1-3 encourages us to grow in faith, virtue, and knowledge of Christ, reminding us of the importance of being alert to false teachings. 1 Thessalonians 4-5 instructs on holiness, the return of Christ, and living in watchfulness, while Proverbs 30:17-19 reflects on life's enigmas and the consequences of human choices.
1. Simon Peter, servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained equal faith with us in the justice of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2. Grace to you and peace be accomplished in the knowledge of God and of Christ Jesus our Lord:
3. As all things of his divine power which appertain to life and godliness, are given us, through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own proper glory and virtue.
4. By whom he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature: flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world.
5. And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge;
6. And in knowledge, abstinence; and in abstinence, patience; and in patience, godliness;
7. And in godliness, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity.
8. For if these things be with you and abound, they will make you to be neither empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9. For he that hath not these things with him, is blind, and groping, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10. Wherefore, brethren, labour the more, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. For doing these things, you shall not sin at any time.
11. For so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12. For which cause I will begin to put you always in remembrance of these things: though indeed you know them, and are confirmed in the present truth.
13. But I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.
14. Being assured that the laying away of this my tabernacle is at hand, according as our Lord Jesus Christ also hath signified to me.
15. And I will endeavour, that you frequently have after my decease, whereby you may keep a memory of these things.
16. For we have not by following artificial fables, made known to you the power, and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; but we were eyewitnesses of his greatness.
17. For he received from God the Father, honour and glory: this voice coming down to him from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
18. And this voice we heard brought from heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19. And we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20. Understanding this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation.
21. For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time: but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost.
1. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there shall be among you lying teachers, who shall bring in sects of perdition, and deny the Lord who bought them: bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2. And many shall follow their riotousnesses, through whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their perdition slumbereth not.
4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but delivered them, drawn down by infernal ropes to the lower hell, unto torments, to be reserved unto judgment:
5. And spared not the original world, but preserved Noe, the eighth person, the preacher of justice, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.
6. And reducing the cities of the Sodomites, and of the Gomorrhites, into ashes, condemned them to be overthrown, making them an example to those that should after act wickedly.
7. And delivered just Lot, oppressed by the injustice and lewd conversation of the wicked.
8. For in sight and hearing he was just: dwelling among them, who from day to day vexed the just soul with unjust works.
9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly from temptation, but to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be tormented.
10. And especially them who walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government, audacious, self willed, they fear not to bring in sects, blaspheming.
11. Whereas angels who are greater in strength and power, bring not against themselves a railing judgment.
12. But these men, as irrational beasts, naturally tending to the snare and to destruction, blaspheming those things which they know not, shall perish in their corruption,
13. Receiving the reward of their injustice, counting for a pleasure the delights of a day: stains and spots, sporting themselves to excess, rioting in their feasts with you:
14. Having eyes full of adultery and of sin that ceaseth not: alluring unstable souls, having their heart exercised with covetousness, children of malediction:
15. Leaving the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity,
16. But had a check of his madness, the dumb beast used to the yoke, which speaking with man's voice, forbade the folly of the prophet.
17. These are fountains without water, and clouds tossed with whirlwinds, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved.
18. For, speaking proud words of vanity, they allure by the desires of fleshly riotousness, those who for a little while escape, such as converse in error:
19. Promising them liberty, whereas they themselves are the slaves of corruption. For by whom a man is overcome, of the same also he is the slave.
20. For if, flying from the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they be again entangled in them and overcome: their latter state is become unto them worse than the former.
21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of justice, than after they have known it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was delivered to them.
22. For, that of the true proverb has happened to them: The dog is returned to his vomit: and, The sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.
1. Behold this second epistle I write to you, my dearly beloved, in which I stir up by way of admonition your sincere mind:
2. That you may be mindful of those words which I told you before from the holy prophets, and of your apostles, of the precepts of the Lord and Saviour.
3. Knowing this first, that in the last days there shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4. Saying: Where is his promise or his coming? for since the time that the fathers slept, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5. For this they are wilfully ignorant of, that the heavens were before, and the earth out of water, and through water, consisting by the word of God.
6. Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.
7. But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of the ungodly men.
8. But of this one thing be not ignorant, my beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9. The Lord delayeth not his promise, as some imagine, but dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance.
10. But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief, in which the heavens shall pass away with great violence, and the elements shall be melted with heat, and the earth and the works which are in it, shall be burnt up.
11. Seeing then that all these things are to be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in holy conversation and godliness?
12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord, by which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with the burning heat?
13. But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promises, in which justice dwelleth.
14. Wherefore, dearly beloved, waiting for these things, be diligent that you may be found before him unspotted and blameless in peace.
15. And account the longsuffering of our Lord, salvation; as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you:
16. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.
17. You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness.
18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.
Download the guide with all the readings organized by day and track your progress throughout the year.
1. For the rest therefore, brethren, we pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more.
2. For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus.
3. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from fornication;
4. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour:
5. Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God:
6. And that no man overreach, nor circumvent his brother in business: because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, as we have told you before, and have testified.
7. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification.
8. Therefore, he that despiseth these things, despiseth not man, but God, who also hath given his holy Spirit in us.
9. But as touching the charity of brotherhood, we have no need to write to you: for yourselves have learned of God to love one another.
10. For indeed you do it towards all the brethren in all Macedonia. But we entreat you, brethren, that you abound more:
11. And that you use your endeavour to be quiet, and that you do your own business, and work with your own hands, as we commanded you: and that you walk honestly towards them that are without; and that you want nothing of any man's.
12. And we will not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, that you be not sorrowful, even as others who have no hope.
13. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again; even so them who have slept through Jesus, will God bring with him.
14. For this we say unto you in the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them who have slept.
15. For the Lord himself shall come down from heaven with commandment, and with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead who are in Christ, shall rise first.
16. Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air, and so shall we be always with the Lord.
17. Wherefore, comfort ye one another with these words.
1. But of the times and moments, brethren, you need not, that we should write to you;
2. For yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord shall so come, as a thief in the night.
3. For when they shall say, peace and security; then shall sudden destruction come upon them, as the pains upon her that is with child, and they shall not escape.
4. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5. For all you are the children of light, and children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do; but let us watch, and be sober.
7. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that are drunk, are drunk in the night.
8. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, having on the breastplate of faith and charity, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
9. For God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but unto the purchasing of salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10. Who died for us; that, whether we watch or sleep, we may live together with him.
11. For which cause comfort one another; and edify one another, as you also do.
12. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you:
13. That you esteem them more abundantly in charity, for their work's sake. Have peace with them.
14. And we beseech you, brethren, rebuke the unquiet, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient towards all men.
15. See that none render evil for evil to any man; but ever follow that which is good towards each other, and towards all men.
16. Always rejoice.
17. Pray without ceasing.
18. In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.
19. Extinguish not the spirit.
20. Despise not prophecies.
21. But prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22. From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves.
23. And may the God of peace himself sanctify you in all things; that your whole spirit, and soul, and body, may be preserved blameless in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24. He is faithful who hath called you, who also will do it.
25. Brethren, pray for us.
26. Salute all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27. I charge you by the Lord, that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.
28. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Download the guide with all the readings organized by day and track your progress throughout the year.
17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.
18. Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.
19. The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man in youth.
Download the guide with all the readings organized by day and track your progress throughout the year.
"O temor e a confiança devem dar as mãos e proceder como irmãos." São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
