2 Peter 3
1 Beloved, this is now the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them they are reminders to stir up your sincere mind,
This second letter, beloved, I now write to you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by putting you in remembrance;
2 so that you will recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles.
that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Saviour by your apostles;
3 Know this first, that mockers will come in the last days. They will mock and proceed according to their own desires.
knowing this first, that there will come in the last days open scoffers following their own lusts,
4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his return? From when our fathers fell asleep, all things have stayed the same, since the beginning of creation.”
and saying, Where is his promised coming? for, from the time when the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as then, and as they have continued from the beginning of the creation.
5 They willfully forget that the heavens and the earth came to exist out of water and through water, long ago, by God's command,
For of this they are willingly ignorant, that of old by the word of God there were heavens, and an earth formed out of the water and by the water,
6 and that through these things, the world of that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.
by means of which the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished;
7 But now the heavens and the earth are reserved for fire by that same command. They are reserved for the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly people.
but the present heavens and the present earth are by his word kept in store, reserved for fire against the day of judgment and the perdition of ungodly men.
8 It should not escape your notice, beloved, that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.
But forget not, beloved, this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord does not move slowly concerning his promises, as some consider slowness to be. Instead, he is patient toward you. He does not desire for any of you to perish, but for everyone to make room for repentance.
The Lord is not tardy concerning his promise, as some men count tardiness; but is long-suffering toward you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 However, the day of the Lord will come as a thief: The heavens will pass away with a loud noise. The elements will be burned with fire, and the earth and the deeds in it will be revealed.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein will be burned up.
11 Since all these things will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people should you be? You should live holy and godly lives.
Seeing that all these things are thus to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 You should expect and hasten the coming of the day of God. On that day, the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and the elements will be melted in great heat.
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat!
13 But according to his promise, we are waiting for the new heavens and the new earth, where righteousness will dwell.
But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Therefore, beloved, since you expect these things, do your best to be found spotless and blameless before him, in peace.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, be diligent that ye may be found without spot and blameless before him in peace,
15 Also, consider the patience of our Lord to be salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him.
and account the long-suffering of our Lord salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you,
16 Paul speaks of these things in all his letters, in which there are things that are difficult to understand. Ignorant and unstable men distort these things, as they also do the other scriptures, to their own destruction.
as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which things are some that are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, beloved, since you know about these things beforehand, guard yourselves so that you are not led astray by the deceit of lawless people and you lose your own faithfulness.
Do ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things beforehand, beware lest, being led away with the error of the lawless, ye fall from your own steadfastness.
The Great Flood
