Paul writes the same way in all his letters. He speaks about what I have just told you. His letters include some things that are hard to understand. People who don’t know better and aren’t firm in the faith twist what he says. They twist the other Scriptures too. So they will be destroyed.

他一切的信上也都是讲论这事。信中有些难明白的，那无学问、不坚固的人强解，如强解别的经书一样，就自取沉沦。

他一切的信上都谈到这事。信中有些难明白的，那无学问、不坚定的人加以曲解，如曲解别的经书一样，自取灭亡。

他一切的信上都谈到这事。信中有些难明白的，那无学问、不坚定的人加以曲解，如曲解别的经书一样，自取灭亡。

他所有的书信都谈到这些事。一些不学无术、反复无常的人曲解了信中一些难懂的地方，就像曲解其他经文一样，他们是自取灭亡。

他在一切书信上，都讲论这些事。在这些书信中，有些难明白的地方，那不学无术和不稳定的人加以曲解，好像曲解别的经书一样，就自取灭亡。

他在所有的信中也都说到这些事。那些没有知识、不坚定的人曲解了他信中一些难懂的地方，正如他们也曲解其他经文，就导致了他们自己的灭亡。

他一切的信上也都是講論這事。信中有些難明白的，那無學問、不堅固的人強解，如強解別的經書一樣，就自取沉淪。

他一切的信上都談到這事。信中有些難明白的，那無學問、不堅定的人加以曲解，如曲解別的經書一樣，自取滅亡。

他一切的信上都談到這事。信中有些難明白的，那無學問、不堅定的人加以曲解，如曲解別的經書一樣，自取滅亡。

他所有的書信都談到這些事。一些不學無術、反覆無常的人曲解了信中一些難懂的地方，就像曲解其他經文一樣，他們是自取滅亡。

他在一切書信上，都講論這些事。在這些書信中，有些難明白的地方，那不學無術和不穩定的人加以曲解，好像曲解別的經書一樣，就自取滅亡。

在他所有的書信裏、他就是在那裏講論這些事的；其中有難以了悟的，沒有學問而不堅固的人給曲解了、像曲解其餘的經書一樣、而引致自己的滅亡。

他在所有的信中也都說到這些事。那些沒有知識、不堅定的人曲解了他信中一些難懂的地方，正如他們也曲解其他經文，就導致了他們自己的滅亡。

彼之諸書亦論及此、中有難明者、而不學不固之輩強解之、於他經亦然、乃自取淪亡也、○

其書不止一函、皆言此理中有難明、學弗思、信勿篤者、故反其意、亦反諸經、自取敗亡、

彼之諸書皆論此事、中有難明、不學者與信不堅者、謬解其意、亦謬解諸經、自取敗亡、

渠於他書中、亦多論及此事、書中間有深奧難解之語、而無知無識之輩、乃予以曲解、是猶曲解他經、亦惟自取淪喪而已矣。

He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

He speaks about these things in all his letters. There are some things hard to understand in them. The untaught and unstable will twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.

as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.

As also in all[ his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as[ they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.

as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

So they do not need to honor their father or mother with their gift. You make the word of God useless in order to follow your own teachings.

This kind of person can’t make up their mind. They can never decide what to do.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus are no longer under God’s judgment.Because of what Christ Jesus has done, you are free. You are now controlled by the law of the Holy Spirit who gives you life. The law of the Spirit frees you from the law of sin that brings death.The written law was made weak by the power of sin. But God did what the written law could not do. He made his Son to be like those who live under the power of sin. God sent him to be an offering for sin. Jesus suffered God’s judgment against our sin.Jesus does for us everything the holy law requires. The power of sin should no longer control the way we live. The Holy Spirit should control the way we live.So don’t live under the control of sin. If you do, you will think about what sin wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.The thoughts of a person ruled by sin bring death. But the mind ruled by the Spirit brings life and peace.The mind ruled by the power of sin is at war with God. It does not obey God’s law. It can’t.Those who are under the power of sin can’t please God.But you are not ruled by the power of sin. Instead, the Holy Spirit rules over you. This is true if the Spirit of God lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ.If Christ lives in you, you will live. Though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life. The Spirit does this because you have been made right with God.The Spirit of the God who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you. So the God who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your bodies. He will do this because of his Spirit who lives in you.Brothers and sisters, we have a duty. Our duty is not to live under the power of sin.If you live under the power of sin, you will die. But by the Spirit’s power you can put to death the sins you commit. Then you will live.Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.The Spirit you received doesn’t make you slaves. Otherwise you would live in fear again. Instead, the Holy Spirit you received made you God’s adopted child. By the Spirit’s power we call God Abba. Abba means Father.The Spirit himself joins with our spirits. Together they tell us that we are God’s children.As his children, we will receive all that he has for us. We will share what Christ receives. But we must share in his sufferings if we want to share in his glory.What we are suffering now is nothing compared with our future glory.Everything God created looks forward to the future. That will be the time when his children appear in their full and final glory.The created world was held back from fulfilling its purpose. But this was not the result of its own choice. It was planned that way by the one who held it back. God plannedto set the created world free. He didn’t want it to rot away. Instead, God wanted it to have the same freedom and glory that his children have.We know that all that God created has been groaning. It is in pain as if it were giving birth to a child. The created world continues to groan even now.And that’s not all. We have the Holy Spirit as the promise of future blessing. But we also groan inside ourselves. We do this as we look forward to the time when God adopts us as full members of his family. Then he will give us everything he has for us. He will raise our bodies and give glory to them.That’s the hope we had when we were saved. But hope that can be seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?We hope for what we don’t have yet. So we are patient as we wait for it.In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak. We don’t know what we should pray for. But the Spirit himself prays for us. He prays through groans too deep for words.God, who looks into our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit. And the Spirit prays for God’s people just as God wants him to pray.We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. He appointed them to be saved in keeping with his purpose.God planned that those he had chosen would become like his Son. In that way, Christ will be the first and most honored among many brothers and sisters.And those God has planned for, he has also appointed to be saved. Those he has appointed, he has made right with himself. To those he has made right with himself, he has given his glory.What should we say then? Since God is on our side, who can be against us?God did not spare his own Son. He gave him up for us all. Then won’t he also freely give us everything else?Who can bring any charge against God’s chosen ones? God makes us right with himself.Then who can sentence us to death? No one. Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God and is also praying for us. He died. More than that, he was raised to life.Who can separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or hard times or harm or hunger? Can nakedness or danger or war?It is written,“ Because of you, we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be killed.”( Psalm 44:22)No! In all these things we are more than winners! We owe it all to Christ, who has loved us.I am absolutely sure that not even death or life can separate us from God’s love. Not even angels or demons, the present or the future, or any powers can separate us.Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else in all creation can separate us. Nothing at all can ever separate us from God’s love. That’s because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done.

They stare at women who are not their wives. They want to sleep with them. They never stop sinning. They trap those who are not firm in their faith. They have mastered the art of getting what they want. God has placed them under his judgment.

We have a lot to say about this. But it is hard to make it clear to you. That’s because you are no longer trying to understand.

But you must not talk about‘ a message from the Lord’ again. That’s because each person’s own words become their message. And so you twist the Lord’ s words. He is the living God. He is the Lord who rules over all. And he is our God.

And,“ It is a stone that causes people to trip. It is a rock that makes them fall.”( Isaiah 8:14) They trip and fall because they do not obey the message. That is also what God planned for them.

Now I want to talk about some other matters, brothers and sisters. We taught you how to live in a way that pleases God. In fact, that is how you are living. In the name of the Lord Jesus we ask and beg you to do it more and more.You know the directions we gave you. They were given by the authority of the Lord Jesus.God wants you to be made holy. He wants you to stay away from sexual sins.He wants all of you to learn to control your own bodies. You must live in a way that is holy. You must live with honor.Don’t desire to commit sexual sins like people who don’t know God.

I, Peter, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am sending this letter to you, God’s chosen people. You are people who have had to wander in the world. You are scattered all over the areas of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.

Jesus replied,“ You are mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures. And you do not know the power of God.

The only thing they have coming to them is death. Their stomach is their god. They brag about what they should be ashamed of. They think only about earthly things.

Brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the good news I preached to you. You received it and have put your faith in it.Because you believed the good news, you are saved. But you must hold firmly to the message I preached to you. If you don’t, you have believed it for nothing.What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would.He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be.He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the 12 apostles.After that, he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died.He appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles.Last of all, he also appeared to me. I was like someone who wasn’t born at the right time.I am the least important of the apostles. I’m not even fit to be called an apostle. I tried to destroy God’s church.But because of God’s grace I am what I am. And his grace was not wasted on me. No, I have worked harder than all the other apostles. But I didn’t do the work. God’s grace was with me.So this is what we preach, whether I or the other apostles who preached to you. And that is what you believed.We have preached that Christ has been raised from the dead. So how can some of you say that no one rises from the dead?If no one rises from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.And if Christ has not been raised, what we preach doesn’t mean anything. Your faith doesn’t mean anything either.More than that, we would be lying about God. We are witnesses that God raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if the dead are not raised.If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.And if Christ has not been raised, your faith doesn’t mean anything. Your sins have not been forgiven.Those who have died believing in Christ are also lost.Do we have hope in Christ only for this life? Then people should pity us more than anyone else.But Christ really has been raised from the dead. He is the first of all those who will rise from the dead.Death came because of what a man did. Rising from the dead also comes because of what a man did.Because of Adam, all people die. So because of Christ, all will be made alive.But here is the order of events. Christ is the first of those who rise from the dead. When he comes back, those who belong to him will be raised.Then the end will come after Christ destroys all rule, authority and power. Then he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father.Christ must rule until he has put all his enemies under his control.The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.Scripture says that God“ has put everything under his control.”( Psalm 8:6) It says that“ everything” has been put under him. But it is clear that this does not include God himself. That’s because God put everything under Christ.When he has done that, the Son also will be under God’s rule. God put everything under the Son. In that way, God will be all in all.Suppose no one rises from the dead. Then what will people do who are baptized for the dead? Suppose the dead are not raised at all. Then why are people baptized for them?And why would we put ourselves in danger every hour?I face death every day. That’s the truth. And here is something you can be just as sure of. I take pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done for you through my work.Did I fight wild animals in Ephesus with nothing more than human hopes? Then what have I gotten for it? If the dead are not raised,“ Let us eat and drink, because tomorrow we will die.”( Isaiah 22:13)Don’t let anyone fool you.“ Bad companions make a good person bad.”You should come back to your senses and stop sinning. Some of you don’t know anything about God. I say this to make you ashamed.But someone will ask,“ How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?”How foolish! What you plant doesn’t come to life unless it dies.When you plant something, it isn’t a completely grown plant that you put in the ground. You only plant a seed. Maybe it’s wheat or something else.But God gives the seed a body just as he has planned. And to each kind of seed he gives its own body.Not all earthly creatures are the same. People have one kind of body. Animals have another. Birds have another kind. Fish have still another.There are also heavenly bodies as well as earthly bodies. Heavenly bodies have one kind of glory. Earthly bodies have another.The sun has one kind of glory. The moon has another kind. The stars have still another. And one star’s glory is different from that of another star.It will be like that with bodies that are raised from the dead. The body that is planted does not last forever. The body that is raised from the dead lasts forever.It is planted without honor. But it is raised in glory. It is planted in weakness. But it is raised in power.It is planted as an earthly body. But it is raised as a spiritual body. Just as there is an earthly body, there is also a spiritual body.It is written,“ The first man Adam became a living person.”( Genesis 2:7) The last Adam became a spirit that gives life.What is spiritual did not come first. What is earthly came first. What is spiritual came after that.The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven.Those who belong to the earth are like the one who came from the earth. And those who are spiritual are like the heavenly man.We are like the earthly man. And we will be like the heavenly man.Brothers and sisters, here is what I’m telling you. Bodies made of flesh and blood can’t share in the kingdom of God. And what dies can’t share in what never dies.Listen! I am telling you a mystery. We will not all die. But we will all be changed.That will happen in a flash, as quickly as you can wink an eye. It will happen at the blast of the last trumpet. Then the dead will be raised to live forever. And we will be changed.Our natural bodies don’t last forever. They must be dressed with what does last forever. What dies must be dressed with what does not die.In fact, that is going to happen. What does not last will be dressed with what lasts forever. What dies will be dressed with what does not die. Then what is written will come true. It says,“ Death has been swallowed up. It has lost the battle.”( Isaiah 25:8)“ Death, where is the victory you thought you had? Death, where is your sting?”( Hosea 13:14)The sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law.But let us give thanks to God! He gives us the victory because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.My dear brothers and sisters, remain strong in the faith. Don’t let anything move you. Always give yourselves completely to the work of the Lord. Because you belong to the Lord, you know that your work is not worthless.

All day long they twist my words. They are always making plans to destroy me.

They will act as if they were serving God. But what they do will show that they have turned their backs on God’s power. Have nothing to do with these people.They are the kind who trick their way into the homes of some women. These women are ready to believe anything. And they take control over these women. These women are loaded down with sins. They give in to all kinds of evil desires.They are always learning. But they are never able to come to know the truth.

Certain people have secretly slipped in among you. Long ago it was written that they would be judged. They are ungodly people. They misuse the grace of our God as an excuse for sexual sins. They say no to Jesus Christ, our only Lord and King.

Do what is right. Treat everyone the same. Don’t take money from people who want special favors. It makes those who are wise close their eyes to the truth. It twists the words of those who have done nothing wrong.

Jesus replied,“ And why don’t you obey God’s command? You would rather follow your own teachings!

But there were also false prophets among the people. In the same way there will be false teachers among you. In secret they will bring in teachings that will destroy you. They will even turn against the Lord and Master who died to pay for their sins. So they will quickly destroy themselves.

But you are as unsteady as water. So you won’t be first anymore. You had sex with my concubine on my bed. You lay on my couch and made it‘ unclean.’

After King Ahab died, Moab refused to remain under Israel’s control.Ahaziah had fallen through the window of his upstairs room in Samaria. He had hurt himself. So he sent messengers to ask the god named Baal- Zebub for advice. Baal- Zebub was the god of the city of Ekron. Ahaziah said to the messengers,“ Go and ask Baal- Zebub whether I will get well again.”But the angel of the Lord spoke to Elijah, who was from Tishbe. The angel said,“ Go up to see the messengers of Ahaziah, the king of Samaria. Tell them,‘ You are on your way to ask Baal- Zebub for advice. He is the god of Ekron. Are you going there to pray to that god? Do you think there is no God in Israel?’The Lord says to Ahaziah,‘ You will never leave the bed you are lying on. You can be sure that you will die!’ ” So Elijah went to see the messengers.They returned to the king. He asked them,“ Why have you come back?”“ A man met us on our way there,” they replied.“ He said to us,‘ Go back to the king who sent you. Tell him,“ The Lord says,‘ You are sending messengers to ask Baal- Zebub for advice. He is the god of Ekron. Are you going there to pray to that god? Do you think there is no God in Israel? You will never leave the bed you are lying on. You can be sure that you will die!’ ” ’ ”The king asked the messengers,“ What kind of man came to see you? Who told you these things?”They replied,“ He was wearing clothes made out of hair. He had a leather belt around his waist.” The king said,“ That was Elijah from Tishbe.”Then Ahaziah sent a captain to Elijah. The captain had his group of 50 fighting men with him. Elijah was sitting on top of a hill. The captain went up to him. He said to Elijah,“ Man of God, the king says,‘ Come down!’ ”Elijah answered the captain,“ If I’m really a man of God, may fire come down from heaven! May it burn up you and your 50 men!” Then fire came down from heaven. It burned up the captain and his men.After that happened, the king sent another captain to Elijah. The captain had his 50 men with him. He said to Elijah,“ Man of God, the king says,‘ Come down at once!’ ”Elijah replied,“ If I’m really a man of God, may fire come down from heaven! May it burn up you and your 50 men!” Then the fire of God came down from heaven. It burned up the captain and his 50 men.So the king sent a third captain with his 50 men. The captain went up to Elijah. He fell on his knees in front of him.“ Man of God,” he begged,“ please have respect for my life! Please have respect for the lives of these 50 men!Fire has come down from heaven. It has burned up the first two captains and all their men. But please have respect for my life!”The angel of the Lord said to Elijah,“ Go down along with him. Don’t be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went down to the king with the captain.Elijah told the king,“ The Lord says,‘ You have sent messengers to ask Baal- Zebub for advice. He is the god of Ekron. Did you go there to pray to that god for advice? Do you think there is no God in Israel? You will never leave the bed you are lying on. You can be sure that you will die!’ ”So King Ahaziah died. It happened just as the Lord had said it would. He had spoken that message through Elijah. Ahaziah didn’t have any sons. So Joram, his younger brother, became the next king after him. It was the second year of Jehoram, the king of Judah. Jehoram was the son of Jehoshaphat.All the other events of Ahaziah’s rule are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Israel.

The law can’t do what it’s supposed to do. Fairness never comes out on top. Sinful people surround those who do what is right. So people are never treated fairly.

“ Do not follow the crowd when they do what is wrong. When you are a witness in court, do not turn what is right into what is wrong. Do not go along with the crowd.

The queen of Sheba heard about how famous Solomon was. She also heard about how he served and worshiped the Lord. So she came to test Solomon with hard questions.

“ Be fair to your poor people in their court cases.