ESV Reformation Study Bible – 2 Pet 3:4
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2 Pet 3:4

3:4 the promise of his coming. From the delay in Christ’s return, the false teachers wrongly concluded that He would never return to judge them. Peter portrays their scoffing as ironic evidence that the last days are indeed present.

since the fathers fell asleep. Perhaps a reference to Old Testament forefathers (John 6:31; Acts 3:13), though many interpret this as a reference to the deaths of people belonging to the first Christian generation, especially Christian leaders such as Stephen (Heb. 13:7).