2 Peter 3

1 Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking

This is now my second letter to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your pure minds by putting you in remembrance.

2 by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

I want you to recollect the words that were foretold by the holy prophets, and the command of your Lord and Saviour, given you through your apostles.

3 Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

Know this first, that mockers will come in the last days, in their mockery, men who walk the way of their own lusts

4 “Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”

and say, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the day that our fathers fell asleep everything continues as it was from the beginning of the creation."

5 But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water,

For they willingly ignore the fact that there were heaven, from of old, and an earth formed out of water and through water, by the word of God;

6 through which the world of that time perished in the flood.

and that by the same means the world which then existed was destroyed by a deluge of water.

7 And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

But the heavens and earth that now are, by the same word of God, have been reserved for fire, and are being kept for the Day of Judgment, and for the destruction of ungodly men.

8 Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

Do not forget 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 slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

The Lord does not loiter over his promise, as some men esteem loitering; but he is longsuffering toward you, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should pass on to repentance.

10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.

But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; and on that Day the heavens will vanish with a crash, the heavenly bodies will melt with fervent heat, and the earth and all its works will be burned up.

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness

Now since all things are in the process of dissolution, what kind of men ought you to be, in all holy living and piety;

12 as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.

while you look for and hasten the coming of the Day of God. At its coming the heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt with fervent heat.

13 But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

But according to his promise, we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness makes her dwelling.

14 Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.

And so, beloved, since you are looking for these things, continually give diligence that you may be found in peace, unspotted and blameless in his sight.

15 Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him.

Regard our Lord’s longsuffering as salvation; even as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him.

16 He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

It is the same in all his letters when he speaks of these things. There are indeed some things in his letters hard to understand, which the ignorant and the shifty wrest, as also they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing.

Do you therefore, beloved, because you know these things beforehand, be on your guard lest you be led astray by the error of the wicked, and so fall from your own stedfastness.

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (aiōn g165)

But grow continually in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and unto the Day of Eternity, Amen. (aiōn g165)

The Great Flood