Father Mike Schmitz

Now I desire to remind you, though you were once for all fully formed, that he who saved a people out of the land of Egypt afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

And the angels that did not keep their own position, but left their proper dwelling, have been kept by him in eternal chains in the deepest darkness until the judgment of the great day.

Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise acted immorally and indulged in unnatural lust, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

Yet in like manner, these men in their dreamings defile the flesh, reject authority, and revile the glorious ones.

but when the archangel michael contending with the devil disputed about the body of moses he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him but said the lord rebuke you but these men revile whatever they do not understand and by those things that they know by instinct as irrational animals do they are destroyed

Woe to them!

For they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error, and perish in Korah's rebellion.

These are blemishes on your love-feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking after themselves, waterless clouds carried along by winds, fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted, wild waves of the sea casting up the foam of their own shame, wandering stars for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.

It was of these also that Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with myriads of his holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness, which they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own passions, loudmouth boasters, flattering people to gain advantage.

Warnings and Exhortations But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They said to you, In the last time there will be scoffers following their own ungodly passions.

It is these who set up divisions, worldly people devoid of the Spirit.

But you, beloved,

Benediction.

Now, to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever.

Salutation.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved child, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanksgiving and Encouragement

I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers.