2 Peter 3

1 This is now, beloved, the second epistle that I write unto you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by putting you in remembrance;2 that ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles:3 knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts,4 and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.5 For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God;6 by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:7 but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.8 But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.11 Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness,12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you;16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.17 Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen.

2 Peter 3

The False Teachers’ Denial of the Lord’s Return

1 Dear friends, this is already the second letter I have writtent you, in whicht I am trying to stir upt your pure mind by way of reminder:2 I want you to recallt botht the predictionst foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.s3 Above all, understand this:t In the last days blatant scofferst will come, being propelled by their own evil urgest4 and saying,t “Where is his promised return?t For ever sincet our ancestorst died,t all things have continued as they weret from the beginning of creation.”5 For they deliberately suppress this fact,t that by the word of Godt heavens existed long ago and an eartht was formed out of water and by means of water.6 Through these thingst the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.

7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.t
8 Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice,t that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day.9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise,t as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wisht for anys to perish but for all to come to repentance.t10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes,t the heavens will disappeart with a horrific noise,t and the celestial bodiest will melt awayt in a blaze,t and the earth and every deed done on itt will be laid bare.s11 Since all these things are to melt awayt in this manner,t what sort of people must west be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness,t12 while waiting for and hasteningt the coming of the day of God?s Because of this day,t the heavens will be burned up andt dissolve, and the celestial bodiest will melt away in a blaze!t

13 But, according to his promise, we are waiting fort new heavens and a new earth, in whicht righteousness truly resides.t

Exhortation to the Faithful

14 Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting fort these things, strive to be founds at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.t15 And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation,t just as also our dear brother Pauls wrote to you,s according to the wisdom given to him,16 speaking of these things in all his letters.t Some things in these letterst are hard to understand, thingst the ignorant and unstable twistt to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.s17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned,t be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled ments and fall from your firm grasp on the truth.t

18 But grow in the grace and knowledget of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the honor both now and ont that eternal day.st