Πετρου Β΄ 3
1 ταυτην ηδη αγαπητοι δευτεραν υμιν γραφω επιστολην εν αις διεγειρω υμων εν υπομνησει την ειλικρινη διανοιαν
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.
2 μνησθηναι των προειρημενων ρηματων υπο των αγιων προφητων και της των αποστολων υμων εντολης του κυριου και σωτηρος
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.
3 τουτο πρωτον γινωσκοντες οτι ελευσονται επ εσχατων των ημερων {VAR1: εν } {VAR2: [εν] } εμπαιγμονη εμπαικται κατα τας ιδιας επιθυμιας αυτων πορευομενοι
First be assured of this, that, as the age draws to an end, scoffers, led by their own passions,
4 και λεγοντες που εστιν η επαγγελια της παρουσιας αυτου αφ ης γαρ οι πατερες εκοιμηθησαν παντα ουτως διαμενει απ αρχης κτισεως
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!’
5 λανθανει γαρ αυτους τουτο θελοντας οτι ουρανοι ησαν εκπαλαι και γη εξ υδατος και δι υδατος συνεστωσα τω του θεου λογω
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;
6 δι ων ο τοτε κοσμος υδατι κατακλυσθεις απωλετο
and that by the same means the world which then existed was destroyed in a deluge of water.
7 οι δε νυν ουρανοι και η γη τω αυτω λογω τεθησαυρισμενοι εισιν πυρι τηρουμενοι εις ημεραν κρισεως και απωλειας των ασεβων ανθρωπων
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.
8 εν δε τουτο μη λανθανετω υμας αγαπητοι οτι μια ημερα παρα κυριω ως χιλια ετη και χιλια ετη ως ημερα μια
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.
9 ου βραδυνει κυριος της επαγγελιας ως τινες βραδυτητα ηγουνται αλλα μακροθυμει εις υμας μη βουλομενος τινας απολεσθαι αλλα παντας εις μετανοιαν χωρησαι
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.
10 ηξει δε ημερα κυριου ως κλεπτης εν η οι ουρανοι ροιζηδον παρελευσονται στοιχεια δε καυσουμενα λυθησεται και γη και τα εν αυτη εργα ευρεθησεται
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.
11 τουτων ουτως παντων λυομενων ποταπους δει υπαρχειν [υμας] εν αγιαις αναστροφαις και ευσεβειαις
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,
12 προσδοκωντας και σπευδοντας την παρουσιαν της του θεου ημερας δι ην ουρανοι πυρουμενοι λυθησονται και στοιχεια καυσουμενα τηκεται
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,
13 καινους δε ουρανους και γην καινην κατα το επαγγελμα αυτου προσδοκωμεν εν οις δικαιοσυνη κατοικει
but we look for ‘new heavens and a new earth,’ where righteousness shall have its home, in fulfilment of the promise of God.
14 διο αγαπητοι ταυτα προσδοκωντες σπουδασατε ασπιλοι και αμωμητοι αυτω ευρεθηναι εν ειρηνη
Therefore, dear friends, in expectation of these things, make every effort to be found by him spotless, blameless, and at peace.
15 και την του κυριου ημων μακροθυμιαν σωτηριαν ηγεισθε καθως και ο αγαπητος ημων αδελφος παυλος κατα την δοθεισαν αυτω σοφιαν εγραψεν υμιν
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.
16 ως και εν πασαις επιστολαις λαλων εν αυταις περι τουτων εν αις εστιν δυσνοητα τινα α οι αμαθεις και αστηρικτοι στρεβλουσιν ως και τας λοιπας γραφας προς την ιδιαν αυτων απωλειαν
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.
17 υμεις ουν αγαπητοι προγινωσκοντες φυλασσεσθε ινα μη τη των αθεσμων πλανη συναπαχθεντες εκπεσητε του ιδιου στηριγμου
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;
The Great Flood
