12 Because of this I will not neglect to always keep you reminded of this, though you have known, and are confirmed in the present truth. 13 And I deem it just, so long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14 knowing as I do that it is but a short time before I shall be putting away this tabernacle of mine, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has signified to me. 15 But I will do my best to ensure that you, after my departure, are able to bring these things to remembrance always. 16 For we did not follow artfully devised stories, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but that with our own eyes we had beheld his majesty. 17 For he received from God the father honor and glory, when such a voice was carried down to him from magnific glory: This is that beloved son of mine in whom I am well-pleased. 18 And that voice, we heard carried down from heaven, when we were together with him on the holy hill.
19 But we have a firmer word of prophecy, to which if you pay attention, as to a lamp appearing in a place of darkness, you do well, until the day shall shine forth, and the star of the dawn rise up in your hearts; 20 if you know first, that all prophecy of scripture is not of private interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of mankind; but as the holy spirit pushed them, the holy men of God spoke.
10 But most of all, those who walk following the flesh into lusts of uncleanness, and scoff at authority, audacious, pleasing only themselves, unafraid to speak evilly of those in authority; 11 while the angels themselves, being mightier and greater in power, do not bring the judgment of evil speech against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like stupid creatures born but to be seized and destroyed, speaking evil in matters of which they do not know anything, will perish in their own perishing, 13 bringing with them the reward of wickedness, leading themselves by their lusts, if their desires shall be enjoyed during the daylight hours; blotches and blemishes reveling in their wickedness as they make insults at you, 14 having eyes full of adultery; who have no idea as to how to stop sinning; enticing, unstable souls, having a heart exercised in greed, 15 accursed children who have left the right path and strayed according to the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the reward of wickedness, 16 but was rebuked for his own; a simple mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, stopped the prophet’s dementia. 17 These are fountains devoid of water, clouds carried about by a storm, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved to eternity. 18 For, when they boom out mighty swelling words of naught, they entice people by the lusts of the flesh, lustily, who are indeed escaping from those who lead lives of error; 19 promising freedom to them, while being themselves slaves to corruption; for of whom one is overcome, of the very same he is brought into slavery. 20 For if after they have fled the defilements of the world by means of the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they have again so gotten caught up and overcome, they have become worse in the end than they were in the beginning. 21 For it would have been enough for them never to have known the way of righteousness, than having known, to have turned away from the holy commandment that was given to them. 22 Indeed it has happened to them as said in the true proverb: “The dog turned back to his own vomit”, and “The cleansed pig turned back to rolling in the mud.”
11 Being that all these things will be dissolved, how ought you to be in holy living and godliness, 12 awaiting and hasting the coming of the day of God, by which the heavens shall be burned away by fire, and the elements shall be melted by the heat of fire? 13 But new heavens and a new earth we await, according to his promise, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, awaiting these things, make an effort to be found to him in peace, without blemish or blotch; 15 and deem the salvation of our Lord patience, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote you, 16 as also he spoke in all the letters he sent of these matters, among which are certainly things difficult to understand, which the untaught and those who are not well establish twist, as with everything else that has been written, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, beloved, being forewarned of these things, beware; lest with the errors of the wicked you be carried away with others from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be glory now and in the day of eternity. Amen.