2 Peter 3

1 This [is] now, beloved, a second letter I write to you, in both which I stir up your pure mind in reminding [you]

Consider, most beloved, this second epistle which I am writing to you, in which I stir up, by admonition, your sincere mind,

2 to be mindful of the sayings said before by the holy prophets, and of the command of us the apostles of the LORD and Savior,

so that you may be mindful of those words that I preached to you from the holy prophets, and of the precepts of the Apostles of your Lord and Savior.

3 knowing this first, that there will come scoffers in the last days, going on according to their own desires,

Know this first: that in the last days there will arrive deceitful mockers, walking according to their own desires,

4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things so remain from the beginning of the creation”;

saying: “Where is his promise or his advent? For from the time that the fathers have slept, all things have continued just as they were from the beginning of creation.”

5 for this they willingly conceal, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth having been established by the word of God out of water and through water,

But they willfully ignore this: that the heavens existed first, and that the earth, from water and through water, was established by the Word of God.

6 through which the world then, having been flooded by water, was destroyed;

By water, the former world then, having been inundated with water, perished.

7 and by the same word, the present heavens and earth, having been stored up for fire, are being preserved until [the] day of judgment and destruction of impious men.

But the heavens and the earth that exist now were restored by the same Word, being reserved unto fire on the day of judgment, and unto the perdition of impious men.

8 And do not let this one thing be concealed from you, beloved, that one day with the LORD [is] as one thousand years and one thousand years as one day;

Yet truly, let this one thing not escape notice, most beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day.

9 the LORD is not slow in regard to the promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not intending any to be lost, but all to come to conversion,

The Lord is not delaying his promise, as some imagine, but he does act patiently for your sake, not wanting anyone to perish, but wanting all to be turned back to penance.

10 and it will come—the Day of the LORD—as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will be dissolved with burning heat, and [the] earth and the works in it will not be found.

Then the day of the Lord shall arrive like a thief. On that day, the heavens shall pass away with great violence, and truly the elements shall be dissolved with heat; then the earth, and the works that are within it, shall be completely burned up.

11 All these, then, being dissolved, what kind of persons ought you to be in holy behaviors and pious acts,

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what kind of people ought you to be? In behavior and in piety, be holy,

12 waiting for and hurrying the coming of the Day of God, by which the heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with burning heat?

waiting for, and hurrying toward, the advent of the day of the Lord, by which the burning heavens shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt from the heat of the fire.

13 And we wait for new heavens and a new earth according to His promise, in which righteousness dwells;

Yet truly, in accord with his promises, we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth, in which justice lives.

14 for this reason, beloved, waiting for these things, be diligent, spotless and unblameable, to be found by Him in peace,

Therefore, most beloved, while awaiting these things, be diligent, so that you may be found to be immaculate and unassailable before him, in peace.

15 and count the long-suffering of our Lord [as] salvation, according as also our beloved brother Paul—according to the wisdom given to him—wrote to you,

And let the longsuffering of our Lord be considered salvation, as also our most beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

16 as also in all the letters, speaking in them concerning these things, among which are some things [that are] hard to be understood, which the untaught and unstable twist, as also the other Writings, to their own destruction.

just as he also spoke in all of his epistles about these things. In these, there are certain things which are difficult to understand, which the unlearned and the unsteady distort, as they also do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 You, then, beloved, knowing before, take heed, lest, together with the error of the impious being led away, you may fall from your own steadfastness,

But since you, brothers, know these things beforehand, be cautious, lest by being drawn into the error of the foolish, you may fall away from your own steadfastness.

18 and increase in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; to Him [is] the glory both now, and to the day of the age! Amen. (aiōn g165)

Yet truly, increase in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now and in the day of eternity. Amen. (aiōn g165)

The Great Flood