Esperar no Senhor

22 Now that, through your obedience to the truth, you have purified your souls for cherishing sincere brotherly love, you must love another heartily and fervently.

23 For you have been begotten again by God's ever-living and enduring word from a germ not of perishable, but of imperishable life.

24 »All mankind resemble the herbage, and all their beauty is like its flowers. The herbage dries up, and its flowers drop off;«

25 But the word of the Lord remains for ever.« And that means the Message which has been proclaimed among you in the Good News.

9 The Lord is not slow in fulfilling His promise, in the sense in which some men speak of slowness. But He bears patiently with you, His desire being that no one should perish but that all should come to repentance.

1 »Then will the Kingdom of the Heavens be found to be like ten bridesmaids who took their torches and went out to meet the bridegroom.«

2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

3 For the foolish, when they took their torches, did not provide themselves with oil;

4 but the wise, besides their torches, took oil in their flasks.

5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, so that meanwhile they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 But at midnight there is a loud cry, »The bridegroom! Go out and meet him!'

7 »Then all those bridesmaids roused themselves and trimmed their torches.«

8 »Give us some of your oil,' said the foolish ones to the wise, for our torches are going out.'«

9 »But perhaps,' replied the wise, there will not be enough for all of us. Go to the shops rather, and buy some for yourselves.'«

10 »So they went to buy. But meanwhile the bridegroom came; those bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet; and the door was shut.«

11 »Afterwards the other bridesmaids came and cried,« Sir, Sir, open the door to us.'

12 »In solemn truth I tell you,' he replied, I do not know you.'«

13 »Keep awake therefore; for you know neither the day nor the hour.«

3 And not only so: we also exult in our sufferings, knowing as we do, that suffering produces fortitude;

4 fortitude, ripeness of character; and ripeness of character, hope;

7 Be patient therefore, brethren, until the Coming of the Lord. Notice how eagerly a farmer waits for a valuable crop! He is patient over it till it has received the early and the later rain.

8 So you also must be patient: keeping up your courage; for the Coming of the Lord is now close at hand.

11 Remember that we call those blessed who endured what they did. You have also heard of Job's patient endurance, and have seen the issue of the Lord's dealings with him–how full of tenderness and pity the Lord is.

11 Since His power is so glorious, may you be strengthened with strength of every kind, and be prepared for cheerfully enduring all things with patience and long-suffering;