Monday, February 22

20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,

21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

2And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

3By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

4For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

5and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

6and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

7and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked

8(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)-

9then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

9'But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

10And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

11But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

13And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.