Bible Browser

¹⁸For Christ also suffered^* for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you^* to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, ²⁰who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water.

⁵They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, ⁶through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. ⁷But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgement and destruction of the godless.

8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. ⁹The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you,^* not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.^*

Psalm 104

God the Creator and Provider

¹ Bless the Lord, O my soul.
   O Lord my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honour and majesty,
²   wrapped in light as with a garment.
You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
³   you set the beams of your^* chambers on the waters,
you make the clouds your^* chariot,
   you ride on the wings of the wind,
⁴ you make the winds your^* messengers,
   fire and flame your^* ministers.

⁵ You set the earth on its foundations,
   so that it shall never be shaken.
⁶ You cover it with the deep as with a garment;
   the waters stood above the mountains.
⁷ At your rebuke they flee;
   at the sound of your thunder they take to flight.
⁸ They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys
   to the place that you appointed for them.
⁹ You set a boundary that they may not pass,
   so that they might not again cover the earth.

¹⁰ You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
   they flow between the hills,
¹¹ giving drink to every wild animal;
   the wild asses quench their thirst.
¹² By the streams^* the birds of the air have their habitation;
   they sing among the branches.
¹³ From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
   the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

¹⁴ You cause the grass to grow for the cattle,
   and plants for people to use,^*
to bring forth food from the earth,
¹⁵   and wine to gladden the human heart,
oil to make the face shine,
   and bread to strengthen the human heart.
¹⁶ The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
   the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
¹⁷ In them the birds build their nests;
   the stork has its home in the fir trees.
¹⁸ The high mountains are for the wild goats;
   the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.
¹⁹ You have made the moon to mark the seasons;
   the sun knows its time for setting.
²⁰ You make darkness, and it is night,
   when all the animals of the forest come creeping out.
²¹ The young lions roar for their prey,
   seeking their food from God.
²² When the sun rises, they withdraw
   and lie down in their dens.
²³ People go out to their work
   and to their labour until the evening.

²⁴ O Lord, how manifold are your works!
   In wisdom you have made them all;
   the earth is full of your creatures.
²⁵ Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
   creeping things innumerable are there,
   living things both small and great.
²⁶ There go the ships,
   and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

²⁷ These all look to you
   to give them their food in due season;
²⁸ when you give to them, they gather it up;
   when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
²⁹ When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
   when you take away their breath, they die
   and return to their dust.
³⁰ When you send forth your spirit,^* they are created;
   and you renew the face of the ground.

³¹ May the glory of the Lord endure for ever;
   may the Lord rejoice in his works—
³² who looks on the earth and it trembles,
   who touches the mountains and they smoke.
³³ I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
   I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
³⁴ May my meditation be pleasing to him,
   for I rejoice in the Lord.
³⁵ Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
   and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord!

¹² Yet God my King is from of old,
   working salvation in the earth.
¹³ You divided the sea by your might;
   you broke the heads of the dragons in the waters.
¹⁴ You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
   you gave him as food^* for the creatures of the wilderness.
¹⁵ You cut openings for springs and torrents;
   you dried up ever-flowing streams.
¹⁶ Yours is the day, yours also the night;
   you established the luminaries^* and the sun.
¹⁷ You have fixed all the bounds of the earth;
   you made summer and winter.