2 Peter 3
1 This, dear friends, is my second letter to you. In both of them I have tried, by appealing to your remembrance, to arouse your better feelings.
Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking
2 I want you to recall what was foretold by the holy Prophets, as well as the Command of our Lord and Saviour given to you through your Apostles.
by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 First be assured of this, that, as the age draws to an end, scoffers, led by their own passions,
Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
4 will come and ask scoffingly — ‘Where is his promised Coming? Ever since our fathers passed to their rest, everything remains just as it was when the world was first created!’
“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.”
5 For they wilfully shut their eyes to the fact that long ago the heavens existed; and the earth, also — formed out of water and by the action of water, by the fiat of God;
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,
6 and that by the same means the world which then existed was destroyed in a deluge of water.
through which the world of that time perished in the flood.
7 But the present heavens and earth, by the same fiat, have been reserved for fire, and are being kept for the day of the judgment and destruction of the godless.
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.
8 But you, dear friends, must never shut your eyes to the fact that, to the Lord, one day is the same as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
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.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise, as some count slowness; but he is forbearing with you, as it is not his will that any of you should perish, but that all should be brought to repentance.
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.
10 The Day of the Lord will come like a thief; and on that day the heavens will pass away with a crash, the elements will be burnt up and dissolved, and the earth and all that is in it will be disclosed.
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.
11 Now, since all these things are in the process of dissolution, think what you yourselves ought to be — what holy and pious lives you ought to lead,
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
12 while you await and hasten the coming of the Day of God. At its coming the heavens will be dissolved in fire, and the elements melted by heat,
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.
13 but we look for ‘new heavens and a new earth,’ where righteousness shall have its home, in fulfilment of the promise of God.
But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, dear friends, in expectation of these things, make every effort to be found by him spotless, blameless, and at peace.
Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.
15 Regard our Lord’s forbearance as your one hope of Salvation. This is what our dear Brother Paul wrote to you, with the wisdom that God gave him.
Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him.
16 It is the same in all his letters, when he speaks in them about these subjects. There are some things in them difficult to understand, which untaught and weak people distort, just as they do all other writings, to their own Ruin.
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.
17 Do you, therefore, dear friends, now that you know this beforehand, be on your guard against being led away by the errors of reckless people, and so lapsing from your present steadfastness;
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.
The Great Flood
