Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

⁶ When Naomi heard in Moab^(A) that the Lord had come to the aid of his people^(B) by providing food^(C) for them, she and her daughters-in-law^(D) prepared to return home from there. ⁷ With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

⁸ Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home.^(E) May the Lord show you kindness,^(F) as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands^(G) and to me. ⁹ May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest^(H) in the home of another husband.”

Then she kissed^(I) them goodbye and they wept aloud^{(J) 10} and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

¹¹ But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?^{(K) 12} Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— ¹³ would you wait until they grew up?^(L) Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter^(M) for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!^(N)”

¹⁴ At this they wept^(O) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law^(P) goodbye,^(Q) but Ruth clung to her.^(R)

¹⁵ “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law^(S) is going back to her people and her gods.^(T) Go back with her.”

¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you^(U) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,^(V) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people^(W) and your God my God.^{(X) 17} Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(Y) if even death separates you and me.”^{(Z) 18} When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.^(AA)

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,^(A) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders^(B) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ² I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets^(C) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.^(D)

³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days^(E) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.^{(F) 4} They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?^(G) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”^{(H) 5} But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word^(I) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.^{(J) 6} By these waters also the world of that time^(K) was deluged and destroyed.^{(L) 7} By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,^(M) being kept for the day of judgment^(N) and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.^{(O) 9} The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,^(P) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient^(Q) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.^(R)

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.^(S) The heavens will disappear with a roar;^(T) the elements will be destroyed by fire,^(U) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[a](V)