The Lordis not slowabout His promise,as somecountslowness,but is patienttowardyou, not wishingfor anyto perishbut for allto cometo repentance.
Has His lovingkindnessceasedforever?Has [His] promisecometo an endforever?
But You, O Lord,are a Godmercifuland gracious,Slowto angerand abundantin lovingkindnessand truth.
"Ifyou dothisthingand God[so] commandsyou, then you will be ableto endure,and allthesepeoplealsowill goto their placein peace."
"But now,ifYou will, forgivetheir sin--and ifnot, pleaseblotme out from Your bookwhichYou have written!"
Thus the LORDused to speakto Mosesfaceto face,justas a manspeaksto his friend.When Moses returnedto the camp,his servantJoshua,the sonof Nun,a youngman,would not departfrom the tent.
Then the LORDpassedby in frontof him and proclaimed,"The LORD,the LORDGod,compassionateand gracious,slowto anger,and aboundingin lovingkindnessand truth;
Becausethe sentenceagainst an evildeedis not executedquickly,thereforethe heartsof the sonsof menamong them are givenfullyto doevil.
Thereforethe LORDlongsto be graciousto you, And thereforeHe waits on highto havecompassionon you. For the LORDis a Godof justice;How blessedare allthose who longfor Him.
"I bringnearMy righteousness,it is not faroff; And My salvationwill not delay.And I will grantsalvationin Zion,[And] My gloryfor Israel.
"Sayto them, 'As I live!'declaresthe LordGOD,'I takenopleasurein the deathof the wicked,but ratherthat the wickedturnfrom his wayand live.Turnback,turnbackfrom your evilways!Whythen will you die,O houseof Israel?'
"Twelvemonthslaterhe was walkingon the [roof of] the royalpalaceof Babylon.
"For the visionis yetfor the appointedtime;It hastenstoward the goaland it will not fail.Thoughit tarries,waitfor it; For it will certainlycome,it will not delay.
[Do] this,knowingthe time,that it is alreadythe hourfor you to awakenfrom sleep;for nowsalvationis nearerto us thanwhenwe believed.
The nightis almost gone,and the dayis near.Thereforelet us lay asidethe deedsof darknessand puton the armorof light.
Ordo you think lightlyof the richesof His kindnessand toleranceand patience,not knowingthat the kindnessof Godleadsyou to repentance?
WhatifGod,although willingto demonstrateHis wrathand to makeHis powerknown,enduredwith muchpatiencevesselsof wrathpreparedfor destruction?
Yetfor thisreasonI found mercy,sothat in me as the foremost,JesusChristmight demonstrateHis perfectpatienceas an examplefor thosewho wouldbelievein Him for eternallife.
whodesiresallmento be savedand to cometo the knowledgeof the truth.
FOR YETIN A VERYLITTLEWHILE,HE WHO IS COMINGWILL COME,AND WILL NOT DELAY.
who oncewere disobedient,whenthe patienceof Godkept waitingin the daysof Noah,during the constructionof the ark,in whicha few,that is, eightpersons,were brought safelythrough[the] water.
For by theseHe has grantedto us His preciousand magnificentpromises,sothat by them you may becomepartakersof [the] divinenature,having escapedthe corruptionthat is in the worldby lust.
and regardthe patienceof our Lord[as] salvation;justas alsoour belovedbrotherPaul,accordingto the wisdomgivenhim, wroteto you,
I gaveher timeto repent,and she does not wantto repentof her immorality.
