2 Peter 3

1 Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking

2 by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

3 Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, following their own evil desires.

4 “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 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 through which the world of that time perished in the flood.

7 And by His word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

8 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 in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

11 Since everything will be destroyed, then, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness

12 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 in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.

15 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 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 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.

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

1 ¶ This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in [both] which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

3 ¶ Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 ¶ But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 ¶ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 ¶ [Seeing] then [that] all these things shall be dissolved, what manner [of persons] ought ye to be in [all] holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

15 And account [that] the longsuffering of our Lord [is] salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16 As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know [these things] before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and [in] the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and for ever. Amen.

1 This is the other epistle which I write unto you, beloved, in which I awake and remind you of your lukewarm mind,

2 That ye may remember the words which were spoken unto you of old by the holy prophets, and our commandment, which are the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.

3 And know this first, that in the last days there shall come scoffers, walking after their own lusts.

4 Saying, Where is the promise of his future? For after the fathers are passed away, all things remain as they were from the beginning of the creature.

5 But willingly they will not know that the heavens also were of old, and that the earth was of water, and that it consisted in water by the word of God.

6 Nevertheless at that time the world was destroyed by them with the flood. - ·

7 So also the heavens now and the earth are spared by his word, to be kept for fire in the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But be it known unto you, beloved, that in the sight of the LORD one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The LORD delayeth not the promise, as some count a delay: but hath patience with us, not willing that any should perish, but that every man should repent.

10 And the day of the LORD shall come as a thief of the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth shall melt with fervent heat. and the works that are inside will burn.

11 If then all these things shall pass away, how then shall ye be skillful in holy walk and godliness?

12 That ye wait and make haste for the future of the day of the LORD, in the which the heavens shall be dissolved with fire, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

13 But we wait for new heavens and a new earth, according to his promise, in which righteousness dwelleth.

14 Wherefore, beloved, as ye ought to wait for this, be diligent that ye may be found undefiled before him, and blameless in peace].

15 And the patience of our Lord respect unto your salvation: as also our dear brother Paul wrote unto you according to the wisdom that was given unto him.

16 As he also saith in all his epistles, wherein are some things hard to be understood, which confound the unlearned and the reckless, as also the other scriptures unto their own damnation.

17 But ye, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, take heed lest ye be deceived with them through the error of wicked men, and escape out of your own stronghold.

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and for evermore. Amen.