From: "FamilyNet" 

Bible Reading for December 17

2 Peter 1
[1] Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that
have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
[2] Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God,
and of Jesus our Lord,
[3] According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that
pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath
called us to glory and virtue:
[4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that
by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust. [5] And beside this, giving
all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
[6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to
patience godliness;
[7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
[8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[9] But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and
hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. [10] Wherefore the
rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:
for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: [11] For so an entrance
shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. [12] Wherefore I will not be negligent to
put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be
established in the present truth. [13] Yea, I think it meet, as long as I
am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
[14] Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our
Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
[15] Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have
these things always in remembrance. [16] For we have not followed cunningly
devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
[17] For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came
such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.
[18] And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him
in the holy mount.
[19] We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that
ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day
dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: [20] Knowing this first, that
no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
[21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men
of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

2 Peter 2
[1] But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there
shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction.
[2] And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of 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
damnation slumbereth not.
[4] For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to
hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto
judgment;
[5] And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a
preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the
ungodly;
[6] And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them
with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should
live ungodly;
[7] And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
[8] (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing,
vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) [9]
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to
reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: [10] But
chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and
despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid
to speak evil of dignities.
[11] Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not
railing accusation against them before the Lord. [12] But these, as natural
brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that
they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
[13] And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it
pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting
themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; [14] Having
eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable
souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed
children:
[15] Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the
way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
[16] But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's
voice forbad the madness of the prophet. [17] These are wells without
water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness
is reserved for ever. [18] For when they speak great swelling words of
vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much
wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. [19]
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of
corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in
bondage.
[20] For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the
beginning. [21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way
of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
[22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is
turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing
in the mire.

2 Peter 3
[1] This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I
stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: [2] That ye may be mindful
of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the
commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: [3] Knowing this
first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their
own lusts,
[4] And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers
fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation.
[5] For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the
water:
[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
ungodly men.
[8] But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with
the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord
is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come as a
thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and
the works that are therein shall be burned up.
[11] Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, [12] Looking
for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens
being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat?
[13] Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a
new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. [14] Wherefore, beloved, seeing
that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in
peace, without spot, and blameless. [15] And account that the longsuffering
of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according
to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] 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.
[17] Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest
ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own
stedfastness.
[18] But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

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