2 Peter 3

1 This letter which I am now writing to you, dear friends, is my second letter. In both my letters I seek to revive in your honest minds the memory of certain things,

This, already, beloved, is the second letter I am writing unto you; and, in these letters, I am stirring up—by way of calling to remembrance—your uncorrupted mind,

2 so that you may recall the words spoken long ago by the holy Prophets, and the commandments of our Lord and Saviour given you through your Apostles.

To remember the fore-spoken declarations made by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour, by your apostles.

3 But, above all, remember that, in the last days, men will come who make a mock at everything--men governed only by their own passions,

Of this, first, taking note—that there will come, in the last of the days, with scoffing, scoffers, after their own covetings, going on,

4 and, asking, "What has become of His promised Return? For from the time our forefathers fell asleep all things continue as they have been ever since the creation of the world."

and saying—Where is the promise of his presence? For, since the fathers fell asleep, all things, thus remain, from the beginning of creation.

5 For they are wilfully blind to the fact that there were heavens which existed of old, and an earth, the latter arising out of water and extending continuously through water, by the command of God;

For this they, willfully, forget—that there were, heavens, from of old, and, an earth, on account of water and by means of water, compacted, by God’s word, —

6 and that, by means of these, the then existing race of men was overwhelmed with water and perished.

By which means, the world that then was, with water being flooded, perished;

7 But the present heavens and the present earth are, by the command of the same God, kept stored up, reserved for fire in preparation for a day of judgement and of destruction for the ungodly.

While, the heavens and the earth that now are, by the same word, have been stored with fire, being kept unto the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly men.

8 But there is one thing, dear friends, which you must not forget. With the Lord one day resembles a thousand years and a thousand years resemble one day.

But, this one thing, forget not, beloved, —that, one day, with the Lord, is as a thousand years, and, a thousand years, as one day.

9 The Lord is not slow in fulfilling His promise, in the sense in which some men speak of slowness. But He bears patiently with you, His desire being that no one should perish but that all should come to repentance.

The Lord is, not slack, concerning his promise, as some count, slackness; but is long-suffering with regard to you, not being minded that any should perish, but that, all, unto repentance, should come.

10 The day of the Lord will come like a thief--it will be a day on which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, the elements be destroyed in the fierce heat, and the earth and all the works of man be utterly burnt up.

Howbeit the day of the Lord will be here, as a thief, —in which, the heavens, with a rushing noise, will pass away, while, elements, becoming intensely hot, will be dissolved, and, earth, and the works therein, will be discovered.

11 Since all these things are thus pre-destined to dissolution, what sort of men ought you to be found to be in all holy living and godly conduct,

Seeing that all these things are thus to be dissolved, what manner of persons, ought [ye] all the while to be, in holy ways of behaviour and acts of godliness, —

12 eagerly looking forward to the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens, all ablaze, will be destroyed, and the elements will melt in the fierce heat?

Expecting and hastening the presence of the day of God, by reason of which, heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved, and, elements, becoming intensely hot, are to be melted;

13 But in accordance with His promise we are expecting new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness will dwell.

But, new heavens, and a new earth, according to his promise, are we expecting, wherein, righteousness, is to dwell.

14 Therefore, dear friends, since you have these expectations, earnestly seek to be found in His presence, free from blemish or reproach, in peace.

Wherefore, beloved, these things, expecting—give diligence, unspotted and unblemished, by him, to be found, in peace;

15 And always regard the patient forbearance of our Lord as salvation, as our dear brother Paul also has written to you in virtue of the wisdom granted to him.

And account, our Lord’s long suffering, [to be] salvation: —even as, our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you;

16 That is what he says in all his letters, when speaking in them of these things. In those letters there are some statements hard to understand, which ill-taught and unprincipled people pervert, just as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own ruin.

As also, in all letters, speaking in them concerning these things, —in which [letters] are some things, hard to be understood, which, the uninstructed and unstable, wrest, —as also the other scriptures, —unto their own destruction.

17 You, therefore, dear friends, having been warned beforehand, must continually be on your guard so as not to be led astray by the false teaching of immoral men nor fall from your own stedfastness.

Ye, therefore, beloved, taking note beforehand, be on your guard, lest, with the error of the impious being led away, ye fall from your own steadfastness;

18 But be always growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be all glory, both now and to the day of Eternity! (aiōn g165)

But be growing in the favour and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: —unto whom be the glory, both now and unto a day that abideth. (aiōn g165)

The Great Flood