Titus 1:2An Understandable Version (2005 edition)[and provides] hope for never ending life. God, who cannot lie, promised this [life] before the beginning of time, See the chapter |
[It is] God who saved us and called us to live holy lives [or, “to be dedicated people”], not as a result of our [good] deeds, but in harmony with His own purpose and unearned favor. [This was] given to us through [the atoning work of] Christ Jesus, before the beginning of time. [Note: Salvation through Christ was planned before time began. See Titus 1:2; Rom. 16:25; Eph. 1:4].
The beast you saw once existed, but now does not, and [yet] is about to come up out of the pit and go to [his] destruction. And those people living on the earth, whose names have not been recorded in the book of life from the creation of the world, will be amazed when they see the beast, because he had once existed, but now does not, and yet will come [again].
And everyone who lives on earth will worship the beast, [even those] people whose names had not been recorded in the book of life belonging to the Lamb, who was killed [i.e., in prospect] from the creation of the world. [Note: This sentence could also read “...not been recorded from the creation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed”].
Fight the good battle of the faith; take hold of never ending life, to which you were called [i.e., by the Gospel. See II Thess. 2:14], [when] you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. [Note: This “confession” probably refers to a person’s acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord and Christ prior to his immersion. See Acts 2:36; Rom. 10:9-10].